Beyond the Outer Rim
by starflyergirl
Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan get lost after a mission during the Clone Wars and find themselves on the planet Earth. Both have no idea what they have just walked into. Who is this Darth Vader person anyway?
1. Chapter 1

Anakin Skywalker was beat. He and Obi-wan had spent the last week fighting on the outer-rim planet of Castilo, a desert world known for its rocky, barren landscape and guerilla warriors. This warrior class had turned against the wealth and corruption of the Republic-aligned planetary government, which had then pleaded the Senate to send aid. The end result? Anakin and Obi-wan fighting on a parched desert landscape as camouflaged fighters popped up around outcroppings, picking off clones each time.

It was hopeless from the beginning. Every night their camp would be ambushed, and Anakin was almost always half asleep when he would hear the sound of gun fire and have to rush to the fore once more. It went on like this for a couple of days, and Anakin was beginning to feel like he would never sleep again.

And then yesterday, just before the planet's sun came up, Obi-Wan had been dreaming of Satine when a bullet ripped through his tent and skimmed his eyebrow. That one little laser had done what only Anakin, and only Anakin on a really bad day, could accomplish: it got beneath Kenobi's calm demeanor and sent the famed Jedi General on a warpath. Only Obi-Wan preferred to fight with words so instead of leaving in a huff of frustration, he put a call in to the Jedi council and after an hour or so of diplomatic talks, he won the council's approval to evacuate. Anakin couldn't have been happier.

The next day he eagerly helped his men prepare to leave the planet, carrying heavy packs and crates of supplies back to the gunships. To the rookies on the mission the very sight of a Jedi doing a clone's job was both unsuspected and awesome. It was like he was a real brother-in-arms, and they respected him that much more for it.

The evacuation went smoother than expected and by dusk the last gunship had left for the cruisers and the two Jedi generals were the only ones left on the surface.

"Ready?" Obi-wan asked as he walked to the Republic shuttle.

"You can say that again," Anakin smiled at his friend. "But I am exhausted, can you handle flying home? I mean, I know plugging in a couple of coordinates can be challenging…" Obi-wan shot Anakin an exasperated look.

"Yes, I can handle it, Anakin" he replied flatly, he himself was too exhausted to come up with the usual witty comeback. Anakin gave another tired smile and climbed into the shuttle, working his way to the back where he crashed on small bench that formed part of the wall.

Many standard hours later….

Anakin slowly opened his eyes and stared at the shuttle's ceiling, not quite willing himself to get up quite yet. The "bed" was made of hard metal, but he had slept like a hibernating Endorian bear. I guess I better go check on Obi-Wan, he sighed to himself, forcing himself to stand up.

Anakin walked towards the front to the craft, and as the door to the cockpit slid open, he saw his friend slumped over the controls, dead asleep.

"I guess it's a good thing we didn't have to do any _real_ flying. But I'll cut you some slack this time" Anakin said quietly. Still he decided that it would be best to check the navi-computer, just in case. What he saw made him groan out loud. Somehow Obi-wan had managed to plug in the coordinates incorrectly so that instead of flying towards Coruscant they were hurtling through hyperspace in the exact opposite direction, towards the fringe worlds of the outer rim and beyond. Largely unexplored and very remote, it was not a good place to be.

"Hey, Master" Anakin said, shaking Obi-Wan awake.

"What?" A groggy Obi-Wan replied.

"Um, do you have any idea where we are heading?"

"Anakin, what are you talking about?"

"Look" Anakin said, pointing to the navi-computer and the incorrect coordinates. Obi-Wan could only stare incredulously at the screen. "Well, when we are late for the council report, it is not my fault" Anakin made it a point of reminding his friend.

"How could that have happened? Man, I was just so tired"

"We'll find our way back, but let's first find out where we are and where we can refuel." With that Anakin brought the shuttle out of hyperspace and there before them appeared a medium-size green and blue planet with swirling white clouds and expansive oceans.

"Well the bad news is that we are well beyond the outer rim, out of reach of all communication networks, and very low on fuel," Obi-Wan sighed after fiddling with the navi-computer. "But according to the preliminary planetary scans, the atmosphere on that world ahead of us is breathable. I think our best bet is to land and pray that we some sort of intelligent life can help us."

"Whatever you say, master" 

As the shuttle neared the planet, the Jedi noticed a ring of ancient looking technology orbiting the world.

"Well something lives here. Only it looks as if the people are stuck in the digital age" Obi-Wan observed, referring to the distant past before holo technology and hyperdrive were developed and when a primitive form of the datapad was considered advanced.

"I'd say," replied Anakin. "What is the lowest frequency of communication available to us? We can try and contact the natives with it."

"Um radio waves, by far. They were commonly used back when Coruscant still had an ocean. But every shuttle still comes with a basic receiver in case of emergency, I'll turn ours on." 

US Army Headquarters, Washington

Aerospace Engineer Rodney Beckmill had just started his job working for the US Army's Defense Management. He was fresh out of Harvard University and looked like all the bit the accomplished graduate he was: clean shaven with ruffled brown hair, green eyes, and just a hint of geekiness. His job monitoring potential atmospheric threats had thus far been boring, but today, he couldn't believe his eyes. His screen had to be malfunctioning! Surely the blimp that he saw on his computer wasn't an alien spacecraft slowly making its way towards Earth. It couldn't be!

"Miranda, take a look at this!" he shouted to his coworker next to him.

Young, blonde, and athletic Miranda Shell took one glance at the screen before muttering "Oh my God" under her breath. "Tell the General at once, he needs to see this."

"Are you sure about that? I do not want to get on that man's bad side by calling a false alarm. Remember, Dan? I think he was deported to Siberia" the young engineer replied.

"Yes I am sure, because what if that ship is real?" 

A minute later US Army General Alex Stanly, a man known for his stone cold expression and stern character walked briskly into the room. "This better be good," he grumbled without even a hint of a smile.

"General, we have found an unknown and presumably foreign spacecraft heading straight for North America. Shall I try to hail it on radio?"

"I will do that, Miranda. Give me a receiver," Stanly ordered. Within seconds he had one and he used an open frequency to relay his command.

"This is the US Army Headquarters Defense Sector alerting unknown high altitude aircraft. Please, state your name and intention."

Anakin was relieved and a little surprised to hear a voice through the ancient-looking radio device. He answered straight away, "This is General Anakin Skywalker. I am a little off course at the moment and need to refuel."

"Did he just say Anakin Skywalker," a stunned Rodney whispered to Miranda who nodded in response.

"Don't play games with me, kid. I'm not here to entertain some Star Wars fan boys." 

Obi-Wan always marveled at how easily his friend could mess up negotiations. He picked up the receiver, "Sir, we mean no disrespect or trouble. We just need a place to land and refuel."

"A fighter squadron will escort you here. If you dare stray from the flight path, we will swat you from the sky."

Sure you will, thought Anakin but Obi-wan was already responding, "Of course, we understand, sir."

Anakin watched as the two ancient relics, the so-called "fighter escorts," landed on the runway below. "Yah, I'm not doing that" he huffed before gracefully setting the shuttle down on a nearby helipad. Instantly, they were surrounded by military men, humans by the look of them, who were aiming some sort of firearm.

A stern looking man spoke through a megaphone, "Come out and with your hands above your heads" he ordered.

"Yes, sir," Anakin replied sarcastically, but Obi-Wan shot him a look, and the two obeyed.

The soldiers could not believe their eyes as the strange craft's passengers disembarked. They were tall and walked with confidence. One had wavy dark brown hair and striking blue eyes, the other a full head of auburn hair complete with a very legit beard. They looked exactly like Anakin and Obi-Wan from the Star Wars movies, and they even wore Jedi robes and had lightsabers hanging from their belts.

As two soldiers came up to the Jedi and secured their hands behind their backs, General Stanley studied the two strangers. He tried to convince himself that they were two irrational fan boys who had grown bored of Comic Con, but he just couldn't convince himself. The presence of the ship itself was unsettling, but even more so was the look in the two strangers' eyes. It looked as if they had seen more than they should have, as if they had emerged from the depths of war, not from the comic book shop. As the two were led away General Stanly turned to Rodney who was standing openmouthed nearby.

"You know a lot about Star Wars don't you?" he asked the engineer in his usual flat voice.

"Um, Yah I do. I mean Yes, sir," Rodney stammered.

"Well what do you make of this?" the General gestured.

"I don't know sir. The two are dressed as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the Star Wars universe, they were two close friends and known as the heroes of the Clone Wars. Nobody could pilot a starfighter as well as Anakin could, and Obi-Wan could negotiate his way out of anything. Both had outstanding skills with a lightsaber and the force. Near the end of the galaxy-wide wide war, Anakin turned to the Dark Side in a desperate attempt to save his wife, but it ended up consuming him. A climatic battle with Obi-Wan resulted in the injuries that turned him into Darth Vader."

The General nodded. "And it was all pure fiction, right?"

"I thought so, I mean it took place in a 'galaxy far, far away.' But maybe George Lucas or someone else involved in the production came from this galaxy and decided to make up a story based on the lives of two of its heroes. Perhaps Anakin and Obi-Wan really were two famous Jedi, and George Lucas just decided to make up a crazy story about their futures, hence episodes 4-6. Then he went back and told the past/present but with just enough of a twist so that his originals movies would make sense. That would explain why Anakin is so kind and compassionate at some times and dark in others. He most likely really is the nice guy, but the Star Wars producers forced the darkness on his character in order to make the whole Darth Vader thing more believable."

"I see. In that case I guess its good that we are dealing with the young Skywalker and Kenobi, not the old hermit and the mechanical, what is it called, Sith Lord?"

"Yes. If you want to be sure that they really are Jedi and not overzealous Star Wars geeks though, just look at their lightsabers. If they ignite and cut through anything, then they are for real. Both of them should also be able to use the force. And Anakin has a robotic right arm, but I am not sure if that is just something that the producers came up with as a pre-Vader injury." 

A few minutes later, an amazed Alex Stanly was holding Obi-Wan's confiscated lightsaber in one hand and the two halves of a recently cut piece of scrap metal in the other.

"I guess we are not alone in the universe," a dumfounded Rodney muttered.

"Take the prisoners to the interrogation room" the General ordered a nearby Lieutenant.


	2. Chapter 2

Megan Ross waited excitedly in the interrogation room. She had been a Star Wars fan for as long as she could remember, and even had once harbored a crush on Anakin in the seventh grade. Now she was being asked by General Alex Stanly to help with the interrogation of two visitors whom had shown up at the base in what Megan had instantly recognized as a Republic Shuttle.

"The younger one claims to be Anakin Skywalker," General Stanly, who was also in the room, informed Megan. "I had originally dismissed the duo as two very irritating fans, but then I ignited one of their lightsabers to find that it was the real deal. We have no technology anywhere close to that on Earth."

"Sir, seeing as they arrived in a space craft and have two lightsabers and look exactly like Anakin and Obi-Wan, I think we should recognize that we really are dealing with two Jedi and that the Star Wars universe may not be as distant as we once thought."

"I agree Megan, but Rodney mentioned that the younger one might have a robotic arm. You may want to ask him to show it to us. If he does in fact have a perfectly functioning prosthetic then we should believe their story that they are from off world and let them go. We do not want to get on the bad side of a civilization that may be capable of producing a Death Star, or whatever that ball of death was called. And Megan, make sure that Rodney is correct in his theory that Anakin really is the good guy. The last thing I want is a rogue Sith running about."

"Yes, sir" she replied.

Just that moment the two Jedi were led in, their hands cuffed in front of them. Megan gasped; they really were Skywalker and Kenobi. Obi-Wan noticed her stare and whispered to his friend, "Have you noticed how everyone, even the soldiers, seem so awestruck by us? I bet they have never even seen a Jedi."

"It's just my incredibly handsome good looks, master. The ladies always have to check me out," Anakin joked.

"Sure they do," Obi-Wan replied sarcastically.

"My God, they even bicker like in the movies," Megan whispered to herself.

"What's that?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Nothing, I'm sorry. I just need the two of you to take a seat. We need to ask you a few questions," she said motioning to two metal chairs that occupied the center of room. The chairs stood opposite a simple desk that was bathed in white light. Megan sat down on the other side of the desk, facing the two Jedi, while General Stanly stood off to the side, watching intently.

Once everyone was seated Megan adopted a profession tone: "First we want to be sure that you two really did come from off world. We have reasons to believe that you, Skywalker, have a mechanical right arm. Such technology doesn't exist here on Earth, and if you were to show us it we can be assured that you are telling the truth."

Anakin was a little taken back by the question, but he shrugged it off, "Sure, I can show you, but it's easier when my wrists are free." Megan reached over the desk and unlocked his cuffs, wearily glancing at his electrifying blue eyes to ensure that he wasn't about to try something. Anakin sent her a bright, reassuring smile. He then proceeded to undo the clasps on his glove. Megan stared at his black and gold arm as Anakin moved his hand back and forth, demonstrating how he had full range of movement with it. Even General Stanley was impressed, and he moved a little bit closer.

"Believe me now?" he asked.

"Yah" replied Megan still staring.

Anakin smiled, "I can give you a basic explanation of how it works if you'd like."

Obi-Wan interrupted; he was not going to sit through another lecture on mechanics by Anakin: there was nothing in the world more boring than that.

"Yes, my friend here made a stupid mistake when he was younger and lost his arm as a result. Now that you see that we are indeed telling the truth, and we assure you that we mean no harm to your people, can you let us go? And maybe you can direct us to the nearest refueling station?"

"Since there is no rational for your arrest, I am sure that you two will be set free, but first I have a few more questions," Megan replied, returning to her professional tone. "First, Anakin, what is your relationship with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine?"

"What?" Anakin asked. That question had come straight out of left field. "How do you even know of the chancellor if you have never even left this planet?" Obi-Wan shot Anakin a warning look. Anakin sighed and let it go, "Never mind. To be honest, I have never really been a fan of the chancellor. He tried to befriend me when I was a teenager, but I just found that creepy. I literally ran the other direction when he called me 'my boy.' Ever since we have sort of been at odds with each other. I have never really trusted him, especially since he has been in power way longer than was once Constitutionally allowed. But luckily Obi-Wan and I are always away fighting away from Coruscant so we don't run into each other too often."

Megan let go a sigh of relief. She had always liked Anakin and was happy to learn that he wasn't likely to listen to Palpatine's lies. Maybe Palpatine really wasn't a Sith Lord? No, Anakin had said that he had tried to befriend him, and that he was unwilling to let his power in the Senate go. His character, complete with the secret identity of Darth Sidious, must be in line with the Star Wars Saga.

"May I ask where such a question came from?" Obi-Wan asked puzzlement written all over his face. He had seen the girl's reaction and didn't know what to make of it.

"I think there is something you guys should see," she said, unlocking Obi-Wan's cuffs and motioning for the two Jedi to follow her. They shrugged at each other and followed.

Minutes later they found themselves in a home theater room of sorts. There were a couple of comfy chairs and a large screen that dominated the front wall. Anakin had a feeling that it only projected 2D images, but nonetheless he was interested in whatever the girl had to show them.

"Feel free to get comfy, I'll bring some refreshments and snacks," Megan said. "By the way you guys haven't seen Star Wars, right?"

"No, I don't think we have" Obi-Wan replied as he sat in a big recliner next to Anakin. He wasn't quite sure what to make of this, but it had been a long day, and he was not going to complain about a movie night. Anakin seemed to be thinking the same as put his feet up and settled into the cushions. A minute later Megan along with Rodney and Miranda returned and the lights in the room dimmed.

The Star Wars crawl to Episode 3 began as the two Jedi generals watched on. They were digesting the mention of General Grievous and Count Dooku in the scrolling introduction when they were greeted with the familiar sounds of battle and two very familiar starfighters.

"Well that explains some things" Obi-Wan mused.

Anakin nodded. And then he was looking at himself. Anakin stared at the screen in shock: it looked just like him. Well, maybe his tunic was a little darker, but still. He looked back at the girl from the interrogation room; she was smiling and motioned for him to keep watching.

Obi-Wan's character also looked just like him, and his sarcastic comment that "This is going to be easy" was so totally something that Obi-Wan would say that both Jedi had to stifle laughs. This was going to be a great movie.


	3. Chapter 3

"_I'm hit!" declared Obi-Wan's character_.

The real life Obi-Wan did a facepalm, movie or not, Anakin was not going to let him live this one down. He would tell Ahsoka and all the clones about how Obi-Wan, even in fiction, flew like grandpa.

As if to confirm his thoughts, Anakin looked over at him with a slight smirk "Well with the way you were flying that was pretty much inevitable."

"You just wait and see, Anakin. Just wait and see," Obi-Wan replied. Megan smiled to herself. Yes, Skywalker, chances are that Obi-Wan is going to have the last laugh on this one.

Everyone turned their attention back to the screen whereObi-Wan was struggling against some buzz droids that were attempting to commandeer his fighter. Anakin, ever the reckless one, had first tried firing, then ramming his friend in an attempt to get them off. Yep, definitely something he would do, thought the real-life Obi-Wan.

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice strangely similar to his own: "_Hold on, Anakin! You're going to get us both killed! Get out of here. There's nothing more you can do!"_

"A little dramatic, don't you think?" Anakin teased his friend, nudging the man sitting next to him with his elbow. "I thought you were the calm, unfazeable Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Well, when one flies with the likes of you..."

* * *

Minutes later, Anakin was watching himself struggling to hang on to a ledge within an elevator shaft. Despite himself, he had to laugh just a little bit: this was exactly the type of situation he somehow always ended up in. The two Jedi then saw R2D2 bust out some impressive moves on a couple of battle droids in the hangar, winning the fight and triumphantly turning the elevator back on its original upward path. This caused Obi-Wan, who was still in the elevator, to fall rather ungracefully to the floor with a resounding thud.

"Well, that was rather un-Jedi like" Anakin observed adopting the same disapproving tone Obi-Wan had used on him when he was still a padawan.

"Shut-up, Anakin," Obi-Wan deadpanned. But he did smile to himself as his character nearly sliced his friend in two as Anakin reappeared through the hole in the roof. Would have deserved him right, Obi-Wan thought.

* * *

_"My powers have doubled since the last time we've met, Count." _

It was Anakin's turn to do a facepalm. He was an experienced Jedi Knight, a General in the Clone Wars, and a hero of the Republic: not some arrogant padawan who couldn't think of any good pre-duel insults.

Feeling the need to defend himself he spoke up, "Ok, I am a whole lot more confident than _that,_ and I have a much stronger voice than this kid," he said, beside himself as how insecure he sounded onscreen. Obi-Wan, to Anakin's relief, nodded his agreement.

The fight in the movie began, and naturally the two Jedi critiqued the combatants' lightsaber techniques, but thankfully for the Earthlings in the room kept their observations to themselves. Then they all watched as Obi-Wan was sent flying through the air and landed unconscious. Obi-Wan in real-life winced: was this something else Anakin was never going to let him here the end of?

Anakin, however, was too distracted by his own character's movements to give his friend a hard time for his early exit from the fight. His character's saber strokes seemed too choppy and too much like the aggressive moves of a drunken speeder pilot on Coruscant for his liking. True, Djem So was an aggressive form, but Anakin had more finesse than what ever _that_ was onscreen. And why was the chancellor staring at him so creepily? Palpatine had looked at him like that in real life too, Anakin remembered, back when Obi-Wan was disguised as Rako Hardeen, and he was fighting Count Dooku on Naboo. Come to think of it, that was an intended kidnapping as well; something weird is going on here, Anakin thought.

His thinking was interrupted by Count Dooku's voice, "I sense great fear in you Skywalker. You have anger, you have hate, but you don't use them." Is he trying to turn me to the darkside? Anakin thought incredulously. He didn't like where this was going.

Both Jedi watched with increased interest as the battle escalated into a fury of lightsaber clashes. The vehemence radiating off both the Jedi and the Sith seemed almost too great to contain within the movie screen, and Anakin himself was truly horrified. He never fought like that in real-life. True he tended to get emotional, maybe a little angry at times, but he never fought like a savage maniac.

"Wow, Anakin. Remember what I told you about self-control?" Obi-Wan smirked. He couldn't help himself.

"Don't look at me," Anakin shrugged. "If I have ever felt compelled to fight like chances are that one of us would have been killed in a sparring session long ago"

They were interrupted by a voice that seemed to simmering with evil intent and expectation, "Kill him. Kill him now." It was coming from the chancellor. Both Jedi gasped. In that instant Palpatine seemed even more of a Sith than the man Anakin was currently fighting. Before the two bewildered watchers could register what was going on, Skywalker's character dehanded Dooku in a move of rage and held the man at his mercy between twin red and blue lightsabers. The chancellor repeated his sick command, and Anakin watched as a storm of inner-conflict waged across his character's eyes.

Anakin couldn't take it anymore. "You insecure _wermo_! Why do you even have to think about this? You are a ranking general, don't you have a spine?"

Obi-Wan burst out laughing, "Could not have said it better myself! You know in all of the days we spend bickering, I never thought I would hear you give such an insult to yourself."

"Well, you have to admit he is a poor representation…"

"Well, perhaps my character is an equally bad representation of who I am as a pilot. I mean, in real-life, it would have been me saving you from those buzz droids."

Anakin shot his friend a you-got-to-be-kidding-me look, before watching out of the corner of his eye his own character behead the distinguished Count. Palpatine seemed almost gleeful.

"_You did well Anakin," the most powerful man in the Republic responded with a slight smile. _While you're at it, why don't you just run him through with your lightsaber as well? thought Anakin in real-life. But such wishful thinking was not to be as his character instead released the chancellor. Suddenly the ship shuddered and began to list dangerously to the side.

"_Time to leave," _said Palpatine, seeming quite pleased with himself_. _Anakin's character, however, ran towards Obi-Wan.

"Yes, let's not forget me," Kenobi said in real-life.

"Wouldn't dream of it, master," Anakin replied with a smile and his character seemed to think the same. The onscreen Anakin slung his fallen friend over his back and carried him like a shepherd would carry a lost lamb. The two Jedi and Palpatine made their way to the elevators when the ship suddenly lurched and the list increased significantly.

"_Quick, into the elevator shaft,_" Anakin commanded, and as the ship went into a nosedive, they managed to stay on their feet by running along the now horizontal shaft. Of course, what originally begins as a good plan always backfires, and the ship soon began to right itself. As the three escapees started to fall, Anakin was able to launch a cable onto one of the ledges. It quickly grew taunt, wrenching Anakin's arm painfully upward and slamming him into the wall, but nonetheless saving their lives. Somehow, he was able to hold onto Obi-Wan, and the Chancellor was able to grab onto Anakin's leg.

It was just that moment that Obi-Wan woke up. Staring down the long elevator shaft, he panicked and grabbed onto whatever was keeping him from falling. To his surprise it, was Anakin.

"_Easy there," replied his friend trying to adjust to the shift in weight. "We're in a bit of a situation."_

Obi-Wan in real-life smiled. He could think of a few times when he had regained consciousness in similar surrounding. He and Anakin were known for "getting into a bit of a situation" which was usually their code phrase for a lot of trouble. So far this movie had been most interesting.


	4. Chapter 4

**The last chapter was really choppy saying "real-life" and "character" over and over again so from now on Skywalker and Kenobi designate the characters, Anakin and Obi-Wan refer to the living Jedi watching the film. **

**And thanks for all the reviews! I will try and make this chapter flow better than the last, even if it's fairly short. **

The onscreen escape from General Grievous' ship was underway; well, it was for a few seconds anyway.

_"Rayshields!" yelled Skywalker in disbelief._ The two Jedi knights who were watching the scene let out an audible groan that expressed their wounded pride.

"_Wait a minute how did this happen, we are smarter than this!" asked Kenobi aghast. _

"Yes! Thank you! I was wondering the same thing," said a frustrated Obi-Wan who looked at Anakin for an explanation.

"_Apparently not, this is the oldest trap in book. I was just distracted," Skywalker replied._

_ "Oh so now it's all my fault?"_

_ "You're the Master. I am just the hero."_

Anakin smiled. That was a line he had not yet thought of. Perhaps he could put it to good use later. The smile he gave Obi-Wan all but betrayed his intent to quote from this movie some time in the future. But if looks could kill, the one that Obi-Wan gave in response would have slaughtered Anakin right there.

"_I'm open to suggestions here" an exasperated Kenobi replied._

_ "I say… patience," Skywalker declared._

Both stared at the screen with mouths agape.

"Tell me I did not here what I thought I did," Obi-Wan asked.

"Tell me I did not just talk in that tone of voice. It's like I am a padawan trying to make it a point that I listen to you."

"Oh so now you admit it. You don't listen to me."

Anakin smiled. "Well, we're still alive aren't we?"

"I swear Anakin, one day…"

Just then R2D2 came flying in. But after much bravo and a brave fight, he too was captured. The two Jedi and the chancellor were led to the bridge.

There was a confrontation with Grievous (in which he ran like the coward he is), a fight with some very determined Magna Guards, and a moment of chaos in which the window shattered into a million pieces. The end result was a ship on fire and an imminent crash landing. All this was nothing new to either Anakin or Obi-Wan. In fact the burning ship scenario happened more often than the two would care to admit.

_"We lost something," Skywalker said in all seriousness as half of the cruiser broke away._

_ "Not to worry, we are still flying half of ship," Kenobi said as only he could have said it. _Both Jedi had to stifle a few laughs over than one.

"I see, my friend, you have managed to destroy another spacecraft," Obi-Wan declared.

Anakin groaned: "You and Snips both seem to believe that just because I am flying a doomed ship, saving our lives while I'm at it, that I am also the reason it exploded in the first place. Do I have to remind you that there is absolutely no connection between flying and exploding?"

Obi-Wan raised his hands in defense. "Sure, if you say so," he replied sarcastically.

**Sorry it's short! I want to put the Senate/Padme scenes together. It should be interesting. Review **


	5. Chapter 5

**Again last names equal movie characters **

The Battle of Coruscant was over; the Battle to Avoid the Politicians was on. In a twist of fate, both Skywalker and Kenobi were _complimenting _each other and trying to justify why the other deserved to spend the day with the Senate. After years of bickering, it was surprising how flattering (with a heavy dose of sarcasm, of course) these two could be.

"_This whole operation was your idea. You planned it. You led the rescue operation. You should be the one to take the bows this time," Skywalker was telling his friend. Kenobi, however, was stubbornly staying on the shuttle, refusing to step out and face the Republic Senate._

"_Sorry, old friend. Let us not forget that you rescued me from the Buzz Droids. And you killed Count Dooku. And you rescued the Chancellor, carrying me unconscious on your back, and you managed to land that bucket of bolts safely . . ."_

"Wow, Master," Anakin said adding his own commentary, "I think that is more acknowledgement than I have gotten from you in a decade." His tone was teasing, but inside Anakin was starting to get a little worried. He had a bad feeling that his character was faking reluctance. After all there was this one particular senator…

His attention was then diverted to the screen at the sound of a voice close to, but somewhat younger and less confident than his own: "_All because of your training, Master. You deserve all those speeches of your greatness."_

At this Obi-Wan had to role his eyes, "Apparently I failed to teach you sincerity, my former padawan."

"_Anakin, let's be fair. Today, you are the hero and you deserve your glorious day with the politicians,_" _Kenobi's voice was dripping with sarcasm and parsecs away from being a sincere compliment_

"You were saying, Master," Anakin cut in, a wide smile on his face. Only Obi-Wan didn't notice that it didn't quite reach his friend's eyes.

"_All right. But you owe me… and not for saving your skin for the tenth time…"_

I am pretty sure the official count is more like 25 times, Anakin thought to himself. Only he was too distracted with thoughts about that one particular Senator and the chances that she would show up in the next few minutes to voice his correction to his friend.

"_Ninth time . . . that business on Cato Nemoidia doesn't count. I'll see you at the briefing." _With that Kenobi departed and Skywalker made his way towards the Senate.

Anakin watches himself with growing dread as he makes small talk with Senator Bail Organa. As the scene progresses, he gradually starts to put up his mental shields, hoping against all hope that Obi-Wan won't really notice. Near the bottom of the scene he catches sight of a shadowy figure, and he knows at once that it is his angel. As a shot of panic races through him, he rams his metal shields up at full force.

Obi-Wan looks at alarm at his friend, whom he can no longer sense thanks to the forceful putting up of mental shields, but he tries to read his face. What he sees shocks him greatly: panic darts across Anakin's blue eyes and invisible restraints appear to be keeping him in his recliner against his will. Now, Obi-Wan has seen his friend fight all sorts of evil and deal with all sorts of "situations," but never before has he appeared so tortured.

Anakin realizes that Obi-Wan is giving him a very questioning look, and he quickly regains his composure. Why am I acting like a scared youngling before a test? he asks himself. Have I so worked myself up about this that I am scared to death of my best friend discovering that I am married? That is actually ridiculous. I can be kicked out of the order I guess, but I would kind of like to see that: the distinguished Council banning one of their best generals because he loves someone.

With those thoughts, Anakin releases any fear that had tried to capture his spirit into the force. Suddenly he feels relieved, as if a great burden had been lifted from him. Obi-Wan will know at last, and I don't have to hide half my heart any longer. A warm and happy feeling arises in his soul at the thought of getting to run up behind Padme in the halls and sweep her off her feet without a care in the world for who was watching. How could I have been so blind? Instead of cowering in fear like a whipped puppy, I could have been spending way more time with Padme: teasing her, taking her social parties and out to dinner every once in a while… Well I won't be scared any longer, and with that Anakin drops his shields

To say that Obi-Wan is shocked and confused would be an understatement. One moment a storm of dark emotions and fear is waging across his friend's eyes. The dark side had felt unnaturally strong in that instant, and Obi-Wan had been genuinely worried. Then as if a short and intense battle of the heart had been fought and won, Anakin relaxes into his recliner and smiles at some happy thought. A moment later he releases his shields, and Obi-Wan senses a flood of relief and contentment coming from his friend. In fact, he can no longer even sense the tendrils of the darkside that had once possessed a foothold within Anakin's heart. His force presence is nothing but a bright light of happiness, confidence, and love. What the hell just happened?

Sensing Obi-Wan confusion, Anakin gives him a reassuring smile: "Don't worry Master, the confusing part is yet to come." Suddenly the scene changes as Skywalker breaks away from the group of politicians and runs towards that one particular senator. He gives Amidala a full loving embrace and together they share a passionate kiss complete with a longing that only two star-crossed lovers can ever know.

Anakin smiles at the thought of seeing his Padme again. Even in the film, she is so beautiful. And he knows that even when they are both old and gray-haired, she will still be the most beautiful girl in the universe to him. She will always be his most beloved angel.

Obi-Wan is most definitely not thinking the same romantic thoughts as Anakin. The look he is giving the screen is one that only Obi-Wan can give: one eyebrow raised, eyes radiating disbelief and slight horror, and a jaw that has fallen open in shock. His own words perhaps describe this look the best: "What the kriff was that Anakin!"

He is expecting his friend to defend himself and to say something along the lines of how wrong this movie is. But what his friend says shocks poor Obi-Wan into oblivion: "That was my wife."

WHAT! Obi-Wan yells to himself. But he doesn't have time to voice his feelings because he is interrupted by a sweet voice onscreen.

"_Ani, I'm pregnant…" says young Amidala with a hint of both joy and sadness._

Poor Obi-Wan almost goes through the roof. Anakin himself is for the first time taken aback: he knows for a fact that he and Padme were not planning on having kids any time soon. He understands too well that he cannot be both a Jedi and a father. Yet now as he thinks of the idea of having a family, a couple a rambunctious kids to keep Padme and himself busy, the two of them being a Mommy and a Daddy, he realizes that he will one day want to give up the former to have the latter. It will be fun to see Obi-Wan deal with multiple Skywalkers anyway…

"Anakin… is she… are you…" Obi-Wan says, still trying to recover from his shock.

Anakin can't help but tease his friend, "What? You're afraid of having to deal with another one of me? No, Padme is not pregnant, rest assured old man. But if we do ever have a kid, I will personally make sure that he will be your padawan."

"Anakin, I can't believe that you are married," Obi-Wan responds, finally finding the words to speak, "You know if the Council finds out…"

"I know, but Ahsoka left didn't she? What difference would it be if I were to walk out as well? I mean, to be honest, the Council only sees me as a tool of war anyway."

"Anakin, that's not…"

"Think about it, Master. Not only are we told not to 'form attachments' and to not really care if those close to us live or die, but we are also told the reciprocal of this: to not expect anybody to truly care about us or to love us. So essentially, we are meant to fight in this war and die without ever really feeling any emotions, like a droid. And a droid is a tool. To be human, on the other hand, is to have passion and to fight for something bigger than yourself… something that you love."

"Anakin that is the eloquent speech that I have ever heard you give, and … well… I couldn't agree more," Obi-Wan said with a smile.

Anakin let loose a breath that he didn't know he had been holding, and nudged Obi-Wan with his elbow, "You know that's what makes us so great, you, me, Ahsoka, we all fight with a purpose and are always there for each other and for our troops and the people we are fighting for."

"Is that a non-sarcastic compliment?" Obi-Wan asked, one eyebrow once again raised.

"Yes, and it is the only one you are ever going to get in this lifetime, old man" Anakin said with a teasing smile.


	6. Chapter 6

**It has been brought to my attention that my characters are way to quick in understanding what is going on. I will make an effort to fix this issue from here on out. As to why I started with **_**Revenge of the Sith**_**: it is simply the movie that I remember the best since I haven't seen any of them in a long time.**

Anakin rubbed his brow in frustration. It was the balcony scene. And it just could not get any worse. The young Jedi would rather face Count Dooku and General Grievous with one hand tied behind his back than watch himself smile like an idiot and spew the mushiness that he was hearing.

"_You are so beautiful!"_

"_It's only because I'm so in love . . ." _

"_No, it's because I'm so in love with you." _

"_So love has blinded you?"_

"_Well, that's not exactly what I meant . . ." _

"_But it's probably true!"_

Agh! Anakin just couldn't take this anymore. He looked around for the nearest wall with the full intent of hitting his head against it a few times. This was _not_ how his nights with Padme went. Usually he would surprise her with a little something, and then they would tease each other and catch up. Perhaps, they would attempt to cook dinner together, laughing the whole time at the burning mess they had created, or maybe watch a Holovid. The moral of the story? They would do _something_. He would not just stand there like a love struck puppy. Maybe when they were teenagers, but by now they had well moved past that point in their relationship: they were each other's best friends, and they acted like it.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was clearly enjoying himself: "Remember what I said about you being eloquent, well you can just forget all of that." Anakin could only sigh in response, if this continued any longer he would have to take a lightsaber to the movie screen.

The good news for Anakin was that the balcony scene ended, the bad news was that a few minutes later he was literally crying. Obi-Wan stifled a laugh, and Anakin stared at himself in disbelief.

"Get it together man! I know the dream was a little scary and all, but the future is 'always in motion' and guess what? You can actually do something to ensure that this vision of yours does not come true. It is a warning, not a kriffin' death sentence!"

"Language, Anakin, language. Now you know what I had to deal with when you were a padawan," Obi-Wan replied, he knew that it wasn't really true, but he couldn't resist a jab at his clearly flustered friend.

"One more word Master, and you are spacewalking home."

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

As if things weren't already bad enough, the scene cut to Chancellor Palpatine's office a few moments later. Vaguely Anakin could remember one of the ladies at the base asking him of his relationship with the Chancellor.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" he muttered, mostly to himself.

"_Skywalker, this afternoon the Senate is going to call on me to take direct control of the Jedi Council," the old man was saying. _Instantly alarm bells went off in the minds of both Jedi.

"Pause! Pause!" Obi-Wan ordered. He turned to the three Earthlings in the room as the characters on the screen froze. "He can not just 'take control' of the Council. The Jedi and the executive offices of the Republic have always been separate."

"Well, we have a saying here that all is fair in love and war," Miranda commented with a slight smile at Obi-Wan's uncharacteristic outburst.

"But, I thought the Chancellor was on our side…" Anakin stated now fairly confused. "Granted, I've never cared for the man, but it wouldn't make any sense for the most powerful person in the Republic to not support the people who defend it."

"Just because the Republic falls, doesn't mean that he will," Miranda answered.

"But he would have lost his job…" Anakin countered. Which probably should have happened a long time ago, he thought to himself but that was beside the point.

Obi-Wan meanwhile, was getting exasperated: "Forget I said anything. We will just watch the movie. Just because it happens here doesn't mean that it is true back home. I mean, I know for a fact that Anakin and Palpatine have trouble standing in the same room together, and yet here they are" he said gesturing to the paused screen.

"Alright. But I am telling you, that if this guy trusts that sleemo then I am walking out," Anakin said nodding to his own character.

"_Skywalker . . . I'm appointing you to be my personal representative on the Jedi Council." _Anakin could only groan.

"I thought you wanted to be on the Council," his master stated with a slight smirk.

"Okay, remember when I was a padawan and he kept showing up at our sparring sessions and then whenever I ran into him in the halls he would always stop and ask me every detail about my life? Well, he is the reason why I know the vent systems so well, and the old man still to this day gives me the occasional nightmare. Do you think I would want to work with him just so I can sit in one of those hideous chairs?"

"Well, apparently you other self will."

"Master, don't get me started."

Thankfully for the other three people in the room, the two Jedi were able to watch the next several minutes of the film without adding their own commentary. When the movie cut to the Council scene, it was painfully obvious that the ranking Jedi Masters were not thrilled at the Chancellor's appointment. Skywalker was given a seat, but he clearly was an outsider: an agent who was there because he had to be and not because he belonged. It was like a line had been drawn in the sand, and Palpatine and Skywalker were on one side and the rest of the Council members were on the other.

Anakin was very upset at this arrangement, but by now he realized that words were futile: he would just have to watch it all play out. What about Obi-Wan, he thought, where is all of his screen time?


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the wait! This chapter was a bit more difficult to get through, but I hope you guys still like it. Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome! **

Anakin is ready to give his character a good whack on the head. Not only has Skywalker attended a ballet, which Anakin himself wouldn't be caught dead at, but he is seriously listening to every lie that the Chancellor is spewing.

"_The Jedi Council want control of the Republic," Palpatine declares. _

Anakin gives Obi-Wan a look of incredulity, he just cannot believe what he is hearing.

"Because Master Yoda is just _dying_ to get up on that pedestal and lead the Senate," Anakin replies sarcastically. Obi-Wan laughs at the image of the aged Jedi Master giving grandiose speeches and living the life of the most public figure in the galaxy.

"_Skywalker search your feelings… you know, don't you?"_

"I know that what you are proposing is ridiculous," Anakin answers for himself.

"_I know they don't trust you," he says instead._

"Now can you see why I don't like it when you negotiate?" Obi-Wan asks.

Anakin can only sigh; when was this scene going to be over?

The conversation drags on for what seems like hours, and Anakin can't help but tone out most of it, only picking up bits and pieces about Palpatine's belief that the Jedi are just as power hungry as the Sith and something about a Darth Plaguies.

Finally the scene cuts to a Council meeting, and Anakin watches in disbelief as the Council members elect Kenobi to go and confront General Grievous alone, while he is ordered to stay on Coruscant.

The situation doesn't sit well with Obi-Wan either. "I wonder why they won't let you go with me. I mean we have always fought together, and we make quite a team if I do say so myself."

"It might have something to do with my 'friendship' with a certain Chancellor." Anakin states grudgingly. "But I agree, I think you might need me on this one. Seeing as I am always recuing you from some catastrophe."

Obi-Wan throws his friend an exasperated look: "It's not me that I am worried about."

"I will be fine, Master. I mean I think the Chancellor is a little bit off his rocker with the whole 'the Jedi are plotting against me' thing. But he is probably just a little stressed. Besides what can the old man do to me?"

The scene cuts to Kenobi walking into the 500 Republica. Anakin groans, this is not going to end well.

"_Has Anakin been to see you?" Kenobi asks._

_ "__Several times . . . I was so happy to hear he was accepted on the Jedi Council." Amidala answers in her respectable political tone._

_ "I know ... he deserves it. He is impatient, strong willed, very opinionated…"_

Obi-Wan laughs, that's exactly the type of thing he would have said. Anakin shakes his head in defeat: he can't defend himself against the two of them.

"…_but he is truly gifted," Kenobi adds. _

"Well, that was almost a compliment, Master," Anakin nudges him. "Thanks."

_"You're not just here to say hello. Something is wrong, isn't it?" Amidala asks with a slight hint of anxiety in her voice._

"_You should be a Jedi, Padme." _

"_You're not very good at hiding your feelings."_

"What! Your crazy husband is one who can't hide his feelings. Not me," Obi-Wan exclaims in self-defense.

"Well, Master you do look kind of concerned," Anakin points out.

"I wonder why… it might have something to do with a certain former student. I swear Anakin one day…"

"I am going to be the death of you? I've heard that one before."

"Well, it's true."

"_It's Anakin . . . _(Anakin in real life groans again.) _He's becoming moody and detached. He's been put in a difficult position as the Chancellor's representative . . . but I think it's more than that. I was hoping he may have talked to you."_

"_Why would he talk to me about his work?" Amidala asks as Kenobi tries to read her face. _

"_Neither of you is very good at hiding your feelings either," Kenobi says at las.t_

"You knew didn't you?" Anakin asks.

"I think deep down inside I did. I mean it is kind of obvious now that I recall how you manage to never hear a word of what I am saying when she is within a hundred feet of us."

"Well, you were way worse when it came to Satine. You looked about ready to faint that day on the Coronet."

"Let's not talk about such things, Anakin" Obi-Wan replies. His former student laughs. The scene ends with Kenobi revealing that he did know something of their relationship and was worried about its effect on his friend. As Anakin watches his Kenobi leave his wife's apartment, he can't help but feel a little touched by this display of genuine concern.

A few moments later, the screen displays the very familiar sight of a Republic fleet preparing for battle. Skywalker is walking with Kenobi as the elder Jedi prepares to leave for Utapau.

"_You're going to need me on this one, Master," Skywalker tells his friend._

"_Oh, I agree. However it may turn out just to be a wild bantha chase."_

Kenobi starts to make his way down to the cruiser when Skywalker seems to think of something: "Master!" he yells running down to him. "_Master, I've disappointed you. I have not been very appreciative of your training . . . I have been arrogant and I apologize . . . I've just been so frustrated with the Council. Your friendship means everything to me." _

"_You are strong and wise, Anakin, and I am very proud of you. I have trained you since you were a small boy. I have taught you everything I know. And you have become a far greater Jedi than I could ever hope to be, and you have saved my life more times than I can remember. But be patient, Anakin. It won't be long before the Council makes you a Jedi Master."_

Anakin and Obi-Wan both stare at each other in shock. "Is that what we are supposed to sound like…?" Anakin asks in awe at the formality of the conversation.

"Yes. You know, I'm always telling you to be more respectful especially in the temple."

"Ah, but where's the fun in that?" Anakin replies a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"_Obi-Wan, may the Force be with you." _

_ "Good-bye, old friend. May the Force be with you."_

There is a long pause until Anakin speaks up: "Well that sounded rather final. I hope you know what you are doing out there."

As much as Anakin would hate to admit it, he is ready for some action. He would much rather see Obi-Wan kick some butt than watch another scene with his whinny character in it. But alas, it is not to be. As soon as he hears his own voice, he groans and smashes a pillow into his face, "Spare me! Please!" he cries, his voice muffled by the pillow. Even with it over his ears, he can hear Obi-Wan stifle a laugh.

"I got to get me a copy of this. And then we can reply this one scene over and over… And then we can show it to all the clones, yes that would be good. Oh, and Padme would just love it," he says as the pillow comes flying into his head.

"This is a fairly important scene, and some of us are trying to watch it," one of the earthlings speaks up. The two Jedi turn their attention back to the screen where Skywalker appears to be having an emotional crisis.

"_I don't know ... I feel . . . lost," he is telling Padme. _

"_Lost? What do you mean? You're always so sure of yourself. I don't understand."_

"_Obi-Wan and the Council don't trust me_."

"Ouch, Anakin. After everything we've been through," Obi-Wan says in mock pain. Anakin just rolls his eyes at both his master and himself. But something about this scene is unsettling him, and a familiar bad feeling starts to press against his conscience.

"_They trust you with their lives. Obi-Wan loves you as a son."_

"_Something's happening . . . I'm not the Jedi I should be. I am one of the most powerful Jedi, but I'm not satisfied ... I want more, and I know I shouldn't." _

Suddenly Anakin feels very uncomfortable. That is nothing he would say in real life, he knows that. But what if one day he did? War, he knows from experience, has a way of changing people, making them more protective of those whom they love. What if one day he came home so changed by this conflict that he craved power if only to keep those few true friends he had safe? It was a scary thought because he knew that he would do next to anything to protect his friends, especially his wife. Obi-Wan had always told him that he was loyal to a fault.

"_You expect too much of yourself_," _Amidala replied._

"_I have found a way to save you_."

"_Save me?"_

"_From my nightmares_."

Anakin feels a sudden sympathy for the man on the screen. He knows that if Padme were to die, he himself couldn't live much longer. She was simply part of him, and it appears as if his character feels the same love for her. If only he would act more rationally, he thinks to himself.

"_Is that what's bothering you?"_

"_I won't lose you, Padme." _

"_I'm not going to die in childbirth, Ani. I promise you_."

"_No, I promise you! I am becoming so powerful with my new knowledge of the Force, I will be able to keep you from dying_."

Obi-Wan has a look of horror on his face. "I don't like where this is going, Anakin."

Anakin, for once, agrees with him. "You can say that again. All this because of a dream?! I would just request some time off and get her to some place safe… Who is going to teach him this supposed new knowledge anyway?"

"Not a Jedi, that's for sure."

"Oh, kriff! Obi-Wan you don't think?" Anakin begins as Obi-Wan only nods grimly. "Oh no, this is bad…"


	8. Chapter 8

**I thank everyone who has been spending the time to read this story. Here is the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy. Again reviews/comments/ideas are much appreciated!**

"_Back away. I will deal with this Jedi slime myself," General Grievous orders his battle droids. _

"_Your move?" Kenobi asks using the same question he often asks Anakin in sparring sessions._

"_You fool! I've been trained in your Jedi arts by Count Dooku," Grievous declares, obviously intending the revelation to come as a surprise._

"Yes, I know…" Obi-Wan replies for himself, clearly not impressed. "I also know that your technique is sloppy and … ill-refined. What ever Dooku saw in you, I'll never know."

Grievous spins his lightsabers wildly, holding one in each of his four hands. He is clearly trying to appear intimidating, but to Anakin and Obi-Wan he just looks stupid.

"I can't believe you haven't been able to defeat this guy," Anakin remarks to his friend.

"Well, he always runs scared as soon as I start to gain the upper hand, which is typically within a matter of seconds," Obi-Wan declares smugly.

"We'll see about that…"

Anakin must admit it, his old master is holding up pretty well against the four-bladed machine. Unlike his enemy, Kenobi is fighting with style and control; the look on his face is one of determination and calm confidence. Every move has its purpose, and it is not long before Kenobi has dismembered two of the Good General's hands. And yet Grievous is not above attempting to strike to terror into Kenobi's heart: "_You must realize you are doomed!" _he threatens with added emphasis on the last word for effect.

The two Jedi stifle laughs at this. Somehow this duel is simply not emotional enough to make that statement anything close to menacing. Onscreen, the two archrivals continue to battle, and to no one's surprise Grievous soon tries to flee on a wheel bike. Kenobi gives chase, riding a varactyl with such skill that Anakin considers asking Obi-Wan if he had once raced giant lizards like he had raced pods. But any admiration the younger Jedi may have had evaporates when Kenobi drops his lightsaber, and it essentially falls off a cliff. Obi-Wan grimaces.

"There goes your life, Master," Anakin observes with a smile. "Looks like you are going to need rescuing, again."

"You know, I am not totally incapable without a lightsaber, my old padawan."

"Well, if I am old, then you are ancient. Shall I bring you an oxygen tank when I come to save the day?" The younger Jedi asks, failing to keep a straight face. Obi-Wan, as usual, is exasperated.

"See this pillow?" he asks holding up a small cushion and waving it around so Anakin can clearly see this new weapon. "If you say one more word, I will suffocate you with it, and you will be the one in need of a breathing-aid," Obi-Wan states matter-of-factly.

Anakin laughs at his master's threat, "And I always thought you to be the civilized one."

The scene fades out to a view of Coruscant at dusk, and Anakin feels his stomach begin to knot up, as the infamous "bad feeling" warns him that all is not well. His character believes that Amidala, his love and his life, is dying. What if, right now as he sat here watching this movie, some stranger walked in and whispered to him that Padme had collapsed in her apartment and was in critical condition, that they didn't know if she was going make it? What would he do? Anakin laughs inwardly at that stupid question. He knows what he would do. He would run out of here as fast as possible and fly through space like a madman, not caring about fuel or safety in the least, until he was at her side. He knows that he would take a lightsaber through the heart without a second thought as long as it meant that his angel was safe…. But would he sell his soul for her?

Anakin winces at the thought. I can't, I won't! Surely my character realizes that the darkside cannot save a life: it can only kill and destroy. He must know that by joining it, he will surrender his very self and gain nothing! He will only lose it all: Padme, the kids, Obi-Wan and Snips, everyone he once held close.

But Anakin realizes that this confused kid on the screen does not have the same understanding that he does. He has been hanging around the Chancellor too long, and he is too lost and desperate to think rationally. He will believe every lie.

Obi-Wan glances over at his friend, "Anakin, it's only a movie, relax a little bit."

"But it's me…. How would you feel if you saw yourself go all power-hungry while contemplating becoming a Sith?"

"I am too composed and smart for that. And you my friend, are far too vain," Obi-Wan declares with sparks of triumph in his eyes. His only reward is a look of exasperation from Anakin, the same look that he all too often uses on his former student.

"_Chancellor, we have just received a report from Master Kenobi. He has engaged General Grievous," Skywalker informs Palpatine. _

"_We can only hope that Master Kenobi is up to the challenge."_

Obi-Wan raises his hands in defense. "What do you all take me for: a fumbling buffoon?"

"No, an old, helpless hermit," Anakin replies sarcastically. "Now be quiet, Master. I am trying to listen…"

_ "I should be there with him," Skywalker complains._

"_It is upsetting to me to see that the Council doesn't seem to fully appreciate your talents. Don't you wonder why they won't make you a Jedi Master?"_

_ "I wish I knew. More and more I get the feeling that I am being excluded from the Council. I know there are things about the Force that they are not telling me."_

"Here we go again with the whole 'new powers of the force' thing. Where are you master to knock some sense into me? Wait, that's right you are facing General Grievous without a lightsaber. Have we always been such a mess?"

"_They don't trust you, Anakin. They see your future. They know your power will be too strong to control. Anakin, you must break through the fog of lies the Jedi have created around you. Let me help you to know the subtleties of the Force."_

"What!" both Jedi cry simultaneously. But before they have time to make sense of the last statement, the scene mercilessly carries on.

Thankfully, Skywalker voices the question that the two of them are thinking: "_How do you know the ways of the Force?" _

"_My mentor taught me everything about the Force . . . even the nature of the dark side."_

"Force, Anakin! The Chancellor is the missing Sith Lord!" Obi-Wan declares a little too loudly, his whole force signature radiating shock, disbelief, and even bit of fear. "Do you know what this means?!"But Anakin is too wrapped up in the scene to hear him.

"_Anakin, if one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects, not just the dogmatic, narrow view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader, you must embrace a larger view of the Force. Be careful of the Jedi, Anakin. They fear you. In time they will destroy you. Let me train you."_

"No, no, no, no, no!" Anakin cries out loud. "Don't believe him, he is lying, you fool! Wake up!"

"_I won't be a pawn in your political game. The Jedi are my family," Skywalker declares. _Anakin relaxes a little with that answer. But his face still conveys genuine concern.

"_Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the Force, Anakin, and you will be able to save your wife from certain death."_

Obi-Wan grimaces at that last line: "He's got you my friend… hook, line and sinker. I know you too well. You will try and save Padme and not comprehend the consequences of your actions because you will believe the lies of this 'friend' whom you have trusted for far too long. And the Council won't give you any reason to want to stay with the Order," he states with grim understanding. Anakin furiously shakes his head.

"No! He will pull through, Master. Well, he better, unless he wants a lightsaber in the gut," Anakin replies, forcing a smile.

"Your paying for this screen if you destroy it."

At that moment, Skywalker is promising Palpatine that he is going to turn him into the Council. He runs off, but the manipulative old man has obviously gotten to his heart.

Also at this moment, Anakin looks as if he is about to go on a rage, but hasn't quite given up hope that Skywalker will remain on the side of the light. Obi-Wan is genuinely concerned and frankly a little bit terrified at the thought that Palpatine is a Sith Lord, and his restless mind is wheeling at the thought of what this intones for the galaxy at large. And the Earthlings, well they are thoroughly amused.

* * *

Anakin is relieved when the scene switches back to Utapau, and Obi-Wan notices how his friend lets loose a small sigh: "You see how emotionally taxing dealing with you can be?"

"Let's make one thing clear, Master. That lost kid is not me. I would never, have never, listened to the Chancellor's lies and false words of comfort. If he started talking to me about the dark side and how he can train me in it, he would soon discover a lightsaber in his chest."

Obi-Wan smiles at how worked up his friend is over this, but Anakin catches it, "Hey, you're not the one watching yourself potentially ruin your life… but you are the one fighting a hunk of metal without a lightsaber," Anakin replies, forcing his tone back to being light and teasing. Obi-Wan can do nothing but shake his head.

"Yes, I am looking forward to watching me destroy the Good General in a fist fight," he replies with a cocky grin that is soon replaced by a grim frown, "Never mind that it will all be for nothing since Palpatine controls both sides of the war. What was all the fighting even about anyway?"

"Emergency powers. Palpatine won't ever let them go. He will use them to destroy the last threads of freedom in the galaxy."

"That has to be Padme talking, the Anakin I know would never say something so insightful."

"Hey, cut me some slack. But you're right: she never stops talking about it. The Chancellor will most likely try to bend the Constitution even more, maybe even rewrite it so that he stays in power."

"Something's not right, though. Think about it: the goal of the Sith is to destroy the Jedi. And even if the public turns against us, he is going to have a hard time doing so with the Clones at our backs.

"Well, do the Clones support us or the Chancellor?"

"I know Cody just as you know Rex, my men would never betray me."

"Oh, so you can't accept the Clones turning but you can see me doing so? I guess it's just like 'Goodbye Anakin, we have fought together for the past fourteen years, but oh well!'"

Obi-Wan sighs at his friend's sarcasm, "Did I ever tell you that you were impossible?"

"Many times, Master," Anakin says with a sparkle in his blue eyes. "Now hurry up and defeat this machine, so you can save my sorry butt."

"So now you're the one in need of rescuing?"

"Not me! We went over this before. That hopelessly confused kid pretending to be me. Yeah, save him."

Obi-Wan can only chuckle: "He is the confused one or you are? I mean you are kind of having an identity crisis at the moment."

Anakin doesn't take the bait, deciding instead to actually watch the film.

Onscreen, Kenobi and Grievous are currently slugging it out on a landing platform overlooking a giant sinkhole. Kenobi had tried wielding an electrostaff, but it had gotten knocked out of his hands, leaving him all but defenseless. Obi-Wan himself is none to happy. This is sure not to end well, and Anakin will most certainly give him a hard time about his lack of wisdom when it comes to engaging a metal cyborg in hand-to-hand combat. Well, at least I'm not about to turn to the dark side, the elder Jedi muses.

To Obi-Wan chagrin, Grievous lands the first blow, punching him in the stomach and sending him flying into a nearby ship like a rag doll. The Good General doesn't stop there, however, and proceeds to launch the distinguished Jedi into the air several more times. Obi-Wan grimaces, this is most definitely not a good look. Anakin, of course, is thoroughly enjoying himself at his friend's expense.

"You know Master, I can really learn a lot from watching you. The way you simply never land a blow is extraordinary. I mean we are taking defense to an all new level here," Anakin says sarcastically with a wide smile.

At the moment, Kenobi is on the floor with Grievous towering over him. He decides to take the opportunity and kick the metal beast as hard as he can in the leg. The move is accompanied by a sickening thud and shortly after, Kenobi is crying out in pain and clutching his wounded foot. Grievous is unaffected.

"So lesson number one is to try and to break as many bones in your foot as possible by kicking you metal opponent?"

"Anakin, say one more word…"

The fight continues to fair poorly for Kenobi who is soon chucked over the cliff. Yet by some strand of luck or just good reflexes, the Jedi manages to cling onto the edge of the landing platform. As he struggles to hold on, Grievous senses his opportunity and marches towards his foe with electrostaff in hand. Just before he is electrocuted, Kenobi manages to use the force to pull a nearby firearm to him. With no time to think, he quickly takes aim and proceeds to blast Grievous in the heart several times. The metal cyborg catches on fire for some reason, and flames shoot out of his eye sockets right before he dies.

Kenobi climbs back from the edge of the cliff, looks at both the blaster and the dead cyborg in disgust, and voices his opinion out loud: "So uncivilized."

"Well Master, if you hadn't dropped your 'more eloquent weapon' you wouldn't have had to use that. But I am not sure what impressed me more: the fact that you were able to finally defeat Grievous or the reality that the Good General has flaming eye sockets."

Obi-Wan had to laugh at that last point, "No comment, Anakin. No comment."


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for the wait! I know some of you are getting tired of the movie and want to move on. If that is you then feel free to skip this chapter, it is just more Anakin and Obi-Wan commentary. For those of you that are enjoying the movie chapters, then I hope you will like this one as well! It was a bit harder to write, but I pray that it turned out all right! Reviews are always welcome and much appreciated! :)**

The screen shows Coruscant at dusk. The last beams of sunlight glisten off the towering cityscape and the evening traffic laces the sky like jewels. A sad, mournful, and eerie song is playing in the background. The camera zooms in on the Jedi Temple and the Council Chambers where Skywalker is pacing restlessly. One look into his eyes reveals the inner war that is raging in his soul and slowly, painfully tearing him apart. The distraught Jedi looks out across the city and settles his gaze on the nearby 500 Republica, obviously thinking of his beloved wife.

The music continues its tragic song as Padme, somehow sensing her husband's conflict, gets up and walks ever so slowly to the window to gaze at the temple. Tears stream down Skywalker's face as he looks back and the voice of Sidious replays in his mind: _You know, don't you, if the Jedi destroy me, any chance of saving her will be lost._ Skywalker at last bows his head as if in defeat and then races away to his speeder. Clearly he is going to the Senate.

Anakin sighs and, leaning back in his recliner, dramatically places the pillow over his face: "I just can't believe this is happening…" he moans. Obi-Wan only chuckles to himself. "That's it. I can't take this anymore. I'm going to get some snacks," Anakin replies getting up. Obi-Wan is too amused to stop him.

When Anakin returns with two cartons of popcorn, which he figured would taste better than his usual fare of ration bars, Obi-Wan is leaned forward in his chair, a hand on his beard and a serious look in his face. Seeing him, Anakin wonders why he ever came back.

"What happened?" he asks, half dreading the answer.

"You died," Obi-Wan states matter-of-factly.

That isn't the response that Anakin expects. However, his character's death is actually really good news, he realizes. It means that Obi-Wan can't tease him about turning to the Dark Side or losing to Kenobi in some climatic lightsaber duel. It also means he can give his friend a hard time about his reaction to his death. Deserves him right after that whole Rako Hardeen incident.

Anakin sits down in a much happier mood than he had been in: "That's good," he says.

"Oh, yes. Quite good," Obi-Wan replies. Anakin catches his sarcasm and turns to face the screen. His eyes go wide and his jaw drops open a little bit.

"Who. Is. That." he asks in horror and dread as a very familiar figure marches up the Temple's steps, leading a legion of clones.

"Darth Vader. He was the one who killed you," Obi-Wan replies as calmly as if he were teaching a history lesson.

Realization hits Anakin with the force of a runaway star destroyer. He begins cursing fluently in Huttese, and Obi-Wan just lets him go, he will run out of breath eventually, the elder Jedi reasons. But just when it appears that his former padawan has exhausted his extensive vocabulary, Skywalker walks into the Council Chamber where the Younglings are hiding. Anakin's face goes pale and he suddenly looks very sick. He pauses his merciless tirade of curse words, to look in complete horror at the scene before him. When his character ignites his lightsaber, Anakin losses it completely, "NOOOOOOOOOO! YOU IDIOT, YOU…" and the curse words come this time in both basic and Huttese.

When the scene is over, Anakin is out of breath: "I can't believe he did that! I would never do that! Even the kids…." His voice has been reduced to a whisper and Obi-Wan is compelled to feel sorry for him.

"It's alright Anakin. It is just a movie, need I remind you, and…. Oh force…"

"What…" Anakin asks, Obi-Wan's change in voice bringing him back to being on full alert incase a Separatist spy or other intruder has suddenly barged in. Anakin half wishes that this were truly the case because he could use a couple of droids to cut down right about now. But Obi-Wan attention is once again directed towards the screen where Sidious has just executed Order 66.

The two Jedi watch in absolute horror as so many of their friends are shot in the back. Kenobi is even shot at by his own battalion, and he plunges off a cliff into a water-filled sinkhole below. Anakin is too lost in disbelief to even tease his friend about his lack of grace.

His mind is racing a hundred parsecs per hour and he can't help but think about Fives and the whole organic chip incident. Didn't Fives mention that the Chancellor was involved in a conspiracy against the Jedi? Was all this really true back home? Would Rex and his men whom he had fought beside for so long really try and kill him in the near future? The thought was enough to make him shiver. Leaning towards a shocked Obi-Wan he whispered, "This is officially the worst movie ever." The older Jedi couldn't agree more.

"_So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause," _Amidala declared horrified at the Chancellor's declaration of an empire and his description of the thwarted Jedi rebellion. But the thing that frightens her most is that the people have become so deceived and manipulated by this power-hungry, yet outwardly charismatic leader that they welcome his ascension to absolute power and his control over them.

The two Jedi are equally disturbed and helpless as they watch the Sith take control and destroy the freedom that they have fought so hard to preserve. "It's like my worst nightmare," Obi-Wan muses. "And the worse thing about it is that this can all happen."

Anakin looks at him in astonishment and with a you-better-explain expression.

"Well, not the part of you becoming a Sith, but the whole idea with Palpatine. What if he is a Sith Lord and what if there really is an Order 66?"

Anakin catches his drift and nods grimly, "Then we will stop him before this ever happens. Don't worry. I am not about to cast my lot in with somebody THAT ugly. Even if it is just you, Padme, and myself we will find a way to defeat him. Perhaps start a rebellion or something. I will do the aggressive negotiations, Padme and Bail can handle the political side, and you, well, you can train my kids."

"Force, no. Now that really is my worse nightmare." Both Jedi stifle a laugh at the though of Obi-Wan eternally being stuck teaching Skywalkers.

The scene changes to the fiery planet of Mustafar, where Darth Vader is in the middle of taking down the Separatist leaders. Anakin groans, he is really starting to dread any scene with himself in it. First it was all the mushiness on the balcony and now it is this senseless killing. Yet when Skywalker turns, Anakin can see the tears in his eyes, and he feels a pang of pity for himself.

"You can give him a hard time, Anakin. But that kid onscreen has gone through a lot. Think about everything that we have been through, and he has seen it all and more. He honestly believes that Padme is dying, and he has become so lost and desperately confused that he believes that this is sacrificing his soul is the only option."

"Spoken like a true Master, Obi-Wan. But he wouldn't have to endure half of this if he wasn't so afraid and if he had seen through Palatine's lies in the first place. I kind of feel sorry for your character, though…"

"What, why?"

"We are obviously going to have a duel at some point. And we all know that I am going to win. I mean, when was the last time you beat me in a sparring match?" Anakin asks with a smirk.

"Last week."

"That doesn't count. We both know that."

"It does too. If it had been real, you would be dead."

"If it had been real, I wouldn't have been distracted."

"Who was that calling you anyway? A certain Senator, perhaps…"

"Shut up, Obi-Wan," Anakin replied. "Besides, you look rather distraught on screen right now. Maybe you should pay attention."

"I think I have an excuse considering my former Padawan has just destroyed…" Obi-Wan began but he never finished, Anakin had slammed the pillow into his face.

Kenobi watches in disbelief the holorecording of his friend killing so many. _"No… It can't be… It can't be…"_

"I'm glad to see that he has more faith in me than you do, Master. You were ready to hand me over to the Dark Side just like that."

"Well I was right, wasn't I?" Obi-Wan declares smugly. Anakin sighs; he never was one to do battle with words.

_"Destroy the Sith, we must," _Yoda is declaring.

_"__Send me to kill the Emperor. I will not kill Anakin," _Kenobi states still radiating shock. Anakin suddenly looks across at the man seated next to him, his best friend, and wonders what he would do if, God-forbid, something like this were to ever happen. Would his best friend really try and kill him? Anakin can't imagine Obi-Wan doing so, but maybe he would, if he were convinced that he were truly gone.

"_To fight this Lord Sidious, strong enough, you are not."_

"_I do not know where the Emperor has sent him. I don't know where to look."_

"_Use your feelings, Obi-Wan, and find him, you will. Visit the new Emperor, my task is. May the Force be with you."_

"Would you do it?" Anakin says coming out of his thoughts.

"What?" Obi-Wan asks but he knows what his friend is asking. "No, well maybe, I don't know Anakin. Just don't turn to the Dark Side and we don't have to worry about it."

Anakin nods. "Well, that shouldn't be a problem. I would never turn my back on everything that I stand for and hurt my friends so much. But if somehow I did," Anakin sighs, "First try and capture me and knock some sense into my thick skull. But if you can't, then go ahead and do it. Just try not to make it hurt too bad, okay?"

"Anakin, you are never going to turn, and we are all going to be fine."

"Well, I am not sure about fine. We tend to get into 'situations' but yes, you are right," Anakin responded a little lighter in tone. Still the question unsettled Obi-Wan just a bit. And he was left wondering if he could put a lightsaber through the heart of his friend who was right now sitting next to him. Obi-Wan immediately pushed the unpleasant thought away. He would never have to worry about being in such a situation anyway. But what would his character do?


	10. Chapter 10

Anakin watched in horror as his beloved angel flew straight into the fires of hell. As she landed on the volcanic planet, her face betrayed her determination, but also her fear. At the moment, Anakin wanted nothing more than to run to her and comfort her, shielding her from this awful place. But of course he couldn't, because all of this was just fiction and she was just an actress, or so he tried to remind himself over and over again.

But somebody did run to his distraught wife, somebody who Anakin wanted very badly to not exist. It was Vader, his own self, but twisted by the lies of the emperor and blinded to the fact that killing did not save. Anakin watched with fire in his eyes as that man, who dared take from him his name and his life, ran to embrace his wife. How dare he touch her!

Obi-Wan looked over at him worriedly, "Don't do anything stupid," he whispered.

"Master, that man… that sith… is not me" Anakin said through gritted teeth.

"No, I meant don't try to throw a lightsaber at the screen or to bring harm to it in any other way. It won't help," Obi-Wan reminded his friend using his wise Jedi-Master voice.

"I can't make any promises, Master. If he dare harms Padme, his own wife, his own pregnant wife…."

Obi-Wan sighed; he was getting nowhere. His former Padawan was fully immersed in the scene and that was a cause for slight concern.

* * *

Onscreen, Amidala was on the verge of tears as she stepped away from her husband horrified at the words she was hearing him speak.

"_I don't believe what I'm hearing . . . Obi-Wan was right. You've changed." _

"_I don't want to hear any more about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me," _Skywalker replied angrily.

"Yes, Anakin, we have all turned against you, and you are the only one who is right," Obi-Wan muttered.

Anakin sighed. For all that his Master complained about having to deal with him, Obi-Wan could be a royal pain in the butt, especially when he kept talking. "I, Master, am brilliant. This guy, however, is a complete idiot who doesn't even come close to deserving Padme," there was a definitive edge to Anakin's voice as he replied. He is obviously upset about all this, Obi-Wan noted, can't he see that it's all just a fictional story?

"_I don't know you anymore. Anakin, you're breaking my heart. I'll never stop loving you, but you are going down a path I cannot follow," _Padme declared crying openly. Anakin couldn't bear to see his wife so hurt. He could practically feel her heart breaking in two, slowly and painfully. He saw her desperate eyes search his character's face for signs of understanding or regret, but all she saw was anger. The tears flowed faster now. And Anakin swore right then and there that he would never put her through such pain. Even if it meant losing her, it would be far better for them to face death together than for them to live through this scene.

But his character was too blinded by the darkside to think such rational thoughts. He saw her tears and the most logical cause of them in his twisted mind was that Obi-Wan must have done something to her, turning her against him as well. "_Because of Obi-Wan?" _he asked.

"_Because of what you've done . . . what you plan to do. Stop, stop now. Come back! I love you," _she begged. Anakin, despite his current feelings on the situation, was touched by the idea that even after all of this she still loved him.

That was when Skywalker saw Kenobi outside of the shuttle, "_Liar!" _he screamed at his wife.

That one word cut through Anakin's heart like a knife. Nobody, especially himself, yelled at her like that. Without even realizing what he was doing, Anakin was gathering the force around him, preparing to jump into the screen and tackle this imposter. Obi-Wan sensed what was coming and immediately whacked Anakin in the chest to prevent him from flying into the screen and giving himself a concussion.

"Just a movie, Anakin" he reminded him but before he could say anything else, Skywalker began choking Padme. Anakin's eyes went wide, and Obi-Wan felt that he might have to break out the force binders and tie his friend to the chair. But then Anakin surprised him.

"For a man that is always right, you have the worst timing, Obi-Wan," Anakin chuckled, perhaps a little darkly but considering the circumstances it was a better response than what Obi-Wan had hoped for.

"So I see you have blamed this all on me. Maybe your character is more like you than you give him credit for," Obi-Wan asked. Anakin gave him a you-got-to-be-kidding-me look, and his Master backed down. "All right, but I bet he still has your lightsaber skills, which means that I am going to win this duel."

Anakin laughed, and Obi-Wan felt relief flooding through him. His former padawan was still with him and not so lost in the movie that he had forgotten that it wasn't real.

"What makes you think there is going to be a duel? Aren't you going to try to talk to me, like you always do with potential enemies? Remember, Master, that fighting is the last resort," Anakin replied with a twinkle in his eye, remembering all the times Obi-Wan had lectured him on the importance of talking things through first.

"It's you, Anakin. You somehow always end up pushing me to the last resort." The younger Jedi just laughed. The early tension that Obi-Wan had sensed in him seemed to have had vanished, as if he had finally realized that this was just a movie after all. "Can we pause it for a second, I want to grab some refreshments?" Obi-Wan asked the earthlings they nodded in response. As Obi-Wan walked away, Miranda turned towards Anakin.

"Are you alright, I now its hard to watch…" she began, but Anakin put a hand up to stop her.

"I am fine. It was just sort of shocking to see me turn all dark and evil. But I think I was also sort of overreacting."

"Sort of?" one of the other girls asked. "Did you realize that before or after you almost crashed through the screen?"

Anakin laughed, "Touché. Okay, I really overreacted. Let's just be happy Ahsoka isn't here now or I would never be hearing the in of it."

Just then Obi-Wan returned with two fizzling drinks that Anakin had never tasted before. But they were better than half of the "refreshments" that he'd been given over the years, and he drank it eagerly.

"Alright, Master. So my guess is that your 'talk' goes perfectly and I turn back to the light all thanks to the efforts of the great negotiator," Anakin predicted sarcastically.

"Anakin, the day you listen to me is the day Tatooine freezes over, Hoth melts, and I leave the Jedi to become a pilot."

* * *

Obi-Wan's negotiations, as expected by both Jedi, were going horribly wrong.

"_If you're not with me, then you're my enemy,"_ Vader declared, facing away from Kenobi.

"_Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what I must."_ Obi-Wan declared, dramatically taking out his lightsaber.

"_You will try,"_ Vader agreed.

Then the duel was on. The music picked up, and against a backdrop of fire two brothers struggled in their fight against the other. For once, Anakin and Obi-Wan saw what made their sparring sessions so popular at Jedi Temple. They saw how their blue blades twirled in a deadly dance of force and precision, how the two of them seemed lost to the world as they focused solely on the movements of the other, predicting each and every one. Yet they also saw the emotional side of a true duel, not just a spar. And even before a blow was landed, Obi-Wan realized that the two of them would have already killed each other that day. If Anakin ever came back, he would never forgive himself, and this last battle, Obi-Wan knew, would be the straw that broke him for good.

"Well, Anakin. I guess it's fitting that everything so did not go according to plan and this is how it all ended. I mean who would've thought?" Obi-Wan mused.

"It's just a movie, Master," Anakin replied quoting Obi-Wan's reminder from earlier. "Wow!" he continued suddenly in response to something that was happening onscreen. "I didn't know you were so flexible in your old age."

Obi-Wan glanced at the screen where Vader was grabbing his throat with his mechanical hand and forcing him into a painful backbend. _That's just great_ he thought. _Just the look I am going for._

Thankfully for Obi-Wan and his dignity, the Jedi Master managed to kick his former friend in the backside, sending him flying over him. Not to be outdone, Vader returned the favor by jumping up and kicking Kenobi in the chest with both feet. They were now both disarmed and in typical Kenobi/Skywalker fashion, a competition on who could kick the other the most ensured. Vader was the first one up, and he again attempted to jump into the air and kick his former master hard in the torso. But Obi-Wan was ready, and when his friend was in the air he kicked him squarely in the chest, sending him into a backflip after which he landed flat on his back. Stunned from the fall, Vader laid at Kenobi's feet for a few seconds. Anakin felt for sure that that was the end of him, and that from now on Obi-Wan would forever give him a hard time about trying to get too fancy with his jumps. But Kenobi took his time calling his lightsaber to him and by the time he dramatically raised it over his head, preparing to slice his friend in half, Vader had recovered. The former Jedi forced his own lightsaber to him and blocked the blue blade.

Obi-Wan stared in disbelief. Anakin snickered. "Now, I know you like to take your time Master, but really was there any need to be that dramatic? When you get a shot, take it, don't just sit there bathing in your glory."

"Anakin, what am I going to do with you? Anyway, you should be happy, that idiot on the screen just saved your life."

"Now, you are even sounding like me."

An exasperated Obi-Wan just sighed.

* * *

"What in tarnation are we doing?" Obi-Wan asked in shock. Anakin had no answer for him. Both just stared in shock at the screen as the two of them, both renowned duelists, twirled their lightsabers in their hands but didn't actually attack or defend against the other. They were just twirling. Like younglings who got their training lightsabers for the first time or little kids playing with sticks. This lasted several painful seconds, until at last they re-engaged each other.

"Well you must have taught me how to do that," Anakin declared looking thoughtful, "How else could we both know that move?"

Obi-Wan didn't take the bait. They both knew that he most certainly _did not_ teach _that_.

The twirling was immediately followed by an attempted force push by both of them. Now this was something that actually did occur frequently in their spars and both Jedi automatically prepared themselves for the inevitable explosion of force energy that they knew to be coming.

"Why are you always thinking what I'm thinking?" Anakin asked his friend.

"I am never thinking what you're thinking, Anakin." Obi-Wan declared with confidence. "You just copy me."

"Oh? I must have insanely fast reflexes to be able to counter you like that before I get blasted into the wall." Anakin returned with a triumphant glint in his blue eyes. Obi-Wan realized that he had lost this round and turned his attention back to the two combatants who were currently flying through the air. Both Jedi cringed when their characters hit the ground: they knew from experience how bad that hurt.

Skywalker was back on his feet in no time however, and he leaped from the wall to the center council and from there to Obi-Wan.

"Now admit it, Master. That was impressive. I got across the room before you could even register what was happening," Anakin gloated.

"And you also just destroyed the structure's shields." Obi-Wan noted. "Typical."

Vader and Kenobi now found themselves outside of the control room and fighting over a river of lava. At first the bridge that they had been on had been quite wide, or at least wide enough, but then Kenobi jumped onto a very small pipe. His old friend, never one for caution followed him.

"Well aren't we just radiating brilliance," Anakin commented.

"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed sarcastically. "I just wanted to make things a bit more interesting. Although, normally you are the one with the suicidal tendencies. You must be rubbing off one me. Now that is a truly horrifying thought." Anakin laughed at that.

As geysers of fire sprouted into the air around them and steam boiled into the atmosphere, the two brothers fought both for balance and against each other. It didn't take long for Obi-Wan to realize that the whole pipe idea was just a bad one, and he leaped off onto a wider platform.

Yet nature was a player in this battle as well and as ashes rained down from the sky, prompting the two humans to stop fighting for a moment and seek cover, a geyser of lava erupted from below and washed over the structure, severely weakening it. The metal groaned and screeched before some of it disintegrated completely.

Before long Vader and Kenobi found themselves floating down the river of fire on the inverted structure. It was a very typical "Skywalker and Kenobi situation" and both Jedi thought that the whole scenario, however ridiculous, was oddly appropriate. Soon they were swinging from cables over the roaring lava.

"The places we find ourselves," Obi-Wan commented as his character dropped down onto a piece of floating debris. Anakin couldn't help but agree as Vader also jumped, but he landed on a droid's flat head.

The droid raced towards Kenobi and as the two met, Obi-Wan tried to knock some sense into his friend's head. But his negotiating skills failed him when he needed them most.

"_I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you," he yelled._

"_I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over."_

"_From the Sith! Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil."_

"_From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!" _

"_Well, then you are lost!" _

"Not impressed, Master," Anakin replied. "Why don't you bring it to my attention that Palpatine just wants to use my power, that I hurt my wife, that I am fighting my best friend, that I am ensuring that my children may never know their father, you know something along those lines…"

"Well your character isn't perfect either," Obi-Wan replied with an eyebrow raised, daring Anakin to refute him. His friend just slumped in his chair in defeat: that was a very good point.

Just then Vader leaped from the droid onto Obi-Wan's platform. A close-quarters fight ensued, but lasted only briefly as Obi-Wan saw his chance and leaped for a slopped embankment.

Anakin felt his heart fall, Obi-Wan had won: he had the high ground. It wasn't that he exactly wanted Vader to win, he didn't, but now Obi-Wan would never let him live this scene down. He would remind him constantly. _Fantastic, _Anakin thought. The young Jedi assumed that he would have to surrender to his friend, face the humiliation of having Obi-Wan tie him up, and then have endure some very long lectures. In the end, he would see the light, and the movie would have a somewhat happy ending. Because didn't all movies have a happy ending of some sort?

But to his surprise, Vader wasn't surrendering.

"_It's over, Anakin? I have the high ground," Kenobi was yelling._

_ "You underestimate my power!"_

"Don't try it!" Kenobi, Obi-Wan, and Anakin all shouted at once.

But as Obi-Wan would say, he was never fond of listening, and so he did try it, and as Anakin watched himself flip through the air, Obi-Wan watched himself slice his friends legs and remaining arm off.

The two Jedi watched in shock as Anakin's character tumbled to the ground and lay helplessly at Obi-Wan's feet, obviously in a great deal of pain.

"Master, did you just slice all three of my limbs off?" Anakin asked in disbelief. Obi-Wan himself was still in a little bit of shock, and when he didn't respond, Anakin continued: "So uncivilized."

"Well, you didn't listen to me," Obi-Wan said at last. "And you were going to be a threat to the galaxy so…" Anakin just rolled his eyes.

* * *

On the screen, Kenobi was looking down at his fallen brother, and for once the pain was evident on his face. Crying, the older Jedi shouted at his former friend, "_You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would, destroy the Sith, not join them! It was you who would bring balance to the Force, not leave it in Darkness!" _But Vader appeared to be in too much agony to hear him.

Obi-Wan, despite knowing full well that this was not for real and that Anakin was fine and right next to him, had a hard time seeing his brother lying in pain at his feet like that. Even when Vader shouted, "_I hate you!_" Obi-Wan still expected himself to try and save his former friend, to perhaps show him how much he really cared for him and to give him a second chance. But his character just stood there.

"Move! Help him you moron!" Obi-Wan yelled, "You can talk this though later! Just think that you would have saved his life 12 times!"

"Ten, Master," Anakin corrected absent-mindedly. "I am glad to know that you would try to save me. But maybe you should just bring me to justice right then and there."

Obi-Wan looked at his friend horrified, "No, that wasn't you! It was Vader! I can save you and bring you back…for your kids." Anakin smiled at how into this Obi-Wan was getting. Was this what he was like during the Padme scenes?

But Kenobi made no move to help his dying friend. He believed that Anakin was truly gone and that there could be no saving him. He mourned this loss, crying, reminding Skywalker or maybe telling him for the first time that he was his brother and that he had loved him. This made Obi-Wan a little embarrassed, but Anakin just nudged his the shoulder, relaying that he appreciated the sentiment.

Then as Kenobi picked up Skywalker's lightsaber and began to walk away, flames caught on to Vader's clothing. He screamed, but was helpless to do anything. The fire danced on his skin and his flesh, consuming him completely. Kenobi couldn't watch and left his friend for the dead.

"You just let me burn like that…" Anakin said after a moment, very matter-of-factly.

"Well it was your fault to begin with," Obi-Wan countered.

"Sure. Just admit it, Master, you could have handled that one better."

"Fine but you could have handled the rest of the movie better."

Anakin just shook his head and returned his attention to the screen.

* * *

**So I know a lot of you were looking forward to the fight scene. How did it go, alright? I hope so. Well we are almost done with ROTS and I am getting a lot of questions on where do I go from here. Well most likely nowhere fast since school is starting soon, but I figured I would put it up to a vote. So you can pick whichever one of the movies or even a Clone Wars episode that you would like to see them watch or if you want to see them go on an adventure on earth that is fine too! Just reply what you would like :) And as always thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Wow, it's been awhile! Sadly, I am getting pretty busy with summer drawing to a close so updates may take a little while! Thanks for all the votes. We were split down the middle with the vast majority of you guys either wanting the original trilogy or adventures on earth. So I kind of went with a compromise… hope that is alright (gives a small smile). So this chapter is essentially the rest of ROTS and then a few scenes from the original trilogy that I thought would be good for them to see. I mainly wanted Anakin to realize that his kids are fantastic and that his character is redeemed because I know a few of you were concerned about him. So here we go! **

* * *

The intent of most movies is to so captivate the audience that they become part of the film. Those watching become so immersed in the action and the drama that they laugh and cry along with the characters. They feel the gravity of even a completely fictional situation and sit on the edge of their seats, praying for a happy ending.

Many would say that _Revenge of the Sith_ does just that: it draws you in. But when you are watching the film with two Jedi who just won't stop their ceaseless commentary, it is hard to escape the real world and enter the fictional realm of a galaxy far, far away. In fact, it is pretty darn near impossible when that helpless pillow keeps flying across the room, Megan thought to herself.

But she didn't really mind, it was funny and entertaining to watch the two friends banter about the actions of each other in the film. At first she had been worried that they had gotten too lost in the movie, and she would end up having to console a crying Anakin, telling him that he wouldn't actually turn evil. But thank the Force, Anakin turned out to be a lot more mature and composed than his movie counterpart, and while he had been a little disturbed by the movie at first, he now seemed to be laughing at the utter ridiculousness of it. Obi-Wan was as well.

As hard as it might have been to believe, the two Jedi had somehow managed to turn one of the most tragic films of the century into a comedy of sorts. _Only Anakin and Obi-Wan _she thought, shaking her head, _those two…_

The emotional tearjerkers didn't seem to affect them at all by this point… In fact, the whole scene of Vader getting his suit, which had originally made Megan– the tough Army girl–cry her eyes out, only resulted in Obi-Wan reveling in his apprentices' fate and struggling to hide his laughter as Anakin made a face that was somehow a perfect combination of horror, disbelief, and reluctant awareness that Obi-Wan was quite amused at all of this.

"You know Anakin, for someone who gets all the ladies, your taste in fashion could really use some work. Those pants," Obi-Wan cringed, "they just need to go. As does the…"

Megan watched with a look of amusement as Anakin looked around the room for the unfortunate pillow, which had somehow ended up in the corner. Seeing it, he used the Force to hurl it into his friend's face before he could say any more. Then he turned around and looked straight at Megan.

"Please tell me something good comes of all this," he asked her. Megan stumbled a little bit as she stared into his pleading blue eyes, she was a fan girl at heart after all, but finally regained her composure a little bit, "Yes, look…" she said pointing at the screen.

Anakin turned back around and saw what to him was the most beautiful scene of any movie or holovid he had ever seen. The screen showed a small baby, wrapped in a little bundle with his eyes closed and a little tuff of blonde hair sticking out. Instantly, Anakin knew that it was his son, Luke, and his heart exploded with love. Even though he realized that this little guy on the screen was not his son in reality, Anakin knew that he played the role of his son and that he represented the future that his heart ached for. A future where there would be no more war and where he and Padme could live together and be a mommy and daddy. He was still watching his son's character as he lay in Obi-Wan's arms when the medical droid held up his little girl, Leia.

"She looks like you," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin blushed and smiled at the same time, "Thanks"

Megan sighed, so much for not getting too involved in the scene. But these are his kids so I guess that kind of gives him an excuse, she thought.

Anakin himself was a little surprised that he was so tearfully happy at the sight of his future kids. The whole movie had really begun to seem ridiculous by this point, and even "Padme's" death from a broken heart had not affected him so much. It wasn't Padme. She would never die from something as soft as a broken heart. She was way too tough and strong for that. Instead, she would have started a rebellion or walked straight up to Vader like an angry momma bear and set him straight. Anakin laughed, knowing the effect she could have. She wasn't called "The Senator" for nothing. Force help the poor fool who decided to kill off her character in this way, he or she would have to face her wrath, and he knew from experience that despite her petite size, her words could be like arrows to the heart.

But as the film faded out, Anakin couldn't help but feel as if something was missing. "So that's it? I just turn into a Sith lord and the empire takes over everything. I think I could write a better ending," he huffed.

Rodney leaned forward at this and smiled, "No Skywalker this is not the end. There are three more films."

Obi-Wan immediately did a facepalm, "Spare me," he groaned. "If it's all about a future where Anakin is the second-in-command of an empire, just leave me out of it. If there is one thing I have learned is that Anakin and politics are a bad combination. Dear Force, Anakin ruling the galaxy…" he sighed as he realized exactly what he was saying, "it is my worst nightmare, how will any of us survive?" the older Jedi groaned in dismay.

"You survive, Obi-Wan, by becoming a hermit…" Miranda stated matter-of-factly, "…on Tatooine." Obi-Wan immediately spewed some of his fizzy drink.

"What!"

Anakin snickered, "Now this I have to see."

"Okay, but it is starting to get dark outside so we will just show you the important scenes. Like when Vader fights Obi-Wan again and when Leia kisses the smuggler," Rodney replied.

"The what!" Anakin replied, outraged.

Obi-Wan suddenly had a very bad feeling about this but was interested enough to consent: "Okay but just a few clips, I am getting pretty tired," he yawned, and as he did so he reached over and took Anakin's lightsaber: he was more than a little worried about Anakin reaction to the aforementioned smuggler.

* * *

There they were: Obi-Wan the Hermit facing off against Anakin the Sith Machine. Anakin rubbed his brow in wonder and disbelief, "Look at us Obi-Wan. What ever has the universe come to?"

The Earthlings had started the film right before the duel and had paused on "Ben" Kenobi's face as everyone settled back into their seats.

Anakin laughed to himself as he studied his friend's wrinkled face. Obi-Wan was not as amused.

"You know why I keep calling you 'Old Man,' Master?" Anakin asked unable to contain his smile. Obi-Wan, of course refused to answer. "Because, your destiny this is, Master Kenobi. An old man will you be and already an old man you are," Anakin replied mimicking Yoda's voice. Then he ducked because he knew the pillow was coming. Before she started the movie, Megan walked down, much like Padme does when she is on a warpath, Anakin thought, and grabbed the pillow from his lap. Then not saying anything, she marched back to his seat. The Jedi got the message: no more pillow throwing.

The scene began and Ben dramatically ignited his lightsaber, but instead of moving it to a traditional defensive position, he held it out in front of him horizontally. Obi-Wan cringed.

"I see you have invented a new style, Master. Can't see it being effective but okay. If it works for you…" Anakin replied. Obi-Wan didn't have the pillow so he used the Force, flinging Anakin so that he flew over Obi-Wan's head and landed hard on his back on the opposite side of his Master from where he originally was. _That would teach him_.

"No frivolous use of the Force," Anakin muttered as he picked himself up and walked back to his chair.

"That was not frivolous but entirely necessary," Obi-Wan replied. Then both of them shut up as they sensed the rising annoyance of their fellow companions.

"_I have been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the Master."_

"I see you are still as arrogant as ever my friend. But I have to admit; I think you have finally learned how to speak with some sort of eloquence." Anakin just rolled his eyes.

The fight continued for a few more seconds and both Anakin and Obi-Wan stared, their mouths hanging open slightly in disbelief. "Force, are we really that old?" Obi-Wan asked. The two Jedi just couldn't believe how agonizingly slow and non-spectacular the duel was.

"I think I will have to tell you guys that this movie was filmed quite a while ago. In the day, this was truly an amazing fight," Megan suddenly spoke up, defending her favorite movie. The two Jedi nodded but were clearly still in shock.

"_Strike me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine," _Ben said in response to a threat from Vader.

"Wow Master. I think I said something very similar when I was on my way to becoming that _thing_" Anakin said spitting out the last word in disdain. "You aren't going to turn to the Dark Side, are you? Well, I guess you could become my apprentice and we could overthrow the emperor together. Now wouldn't that be a sight…"

Obi-Wan was unwilling to respond to that, but Anakin thought he laughed a little. The duel continued until Ben held up his lightsaber so that it was vertical and Vader immediately slashed him in half. However, when he did so Ben disappeared, and only his cloak remained. Megan paused the movie, but the Jedi were too stunned to really notice.

"You just cut me in half!"

"Well, with all do respect you cut me in half first, and you had it coming, fighting like that. And besides we all know that I am the better duelist."

"You are not! I wanted that to happen."

"Or so now you are the one with the 'suicidal tendencies?'"

"No! Argh, you know I always said that you would be the death of me. If you never turned to the Dark Side, this never would have happened."

"You still would have grown old."

Megan decided that now would be a good time to interrupt, "Alright, alright. We are going to fast forward to the end of the Saga. But just so you know what happens. Anakin that blonde kid and brunette girl are your children…"

"What!" Anakin interrupted; obviously he had been too absorbed in the fight scene to notice the quick shot of them. "Go back, I want to see them!"

"The final scene has all of them in it; you will see them in a second. But so you know, Luke has started training to be a Jedi. Obi-Wan taught him a little at first and now Yoda is going to take over his training. He becomes an excellent pilot and is a leading figure in the rebel alliance. Leia on the other hand is also a leader of the rebels, but more on the political side. However, she is great with a blaster and goes with Luke on all of his adventures. None of them know anything of their family until Luke duels Vader…"

"What!" Anakin interrupted again. How could he fight his own son! But Megan again interrupted his thought process.

"When you cut off his arm, you tell…"

"What! Slow down there! I cut off his arm!" Obi-wan was starting to get a little worried about his friend. He looked as if he were going to be sick.

Megan was for some reason sort of enjoying his pain and was merciless with the information. "Yes and when you do you say 'No, I am your father,' revealing to Luke who you are and let's just say he is a little crushed. However, he believes that there is still good in you and he is the one who eventually saves you."

It was all a little much for Anakin and his brain was working overtime to process this all. But then he reminded himself that this was just a movie and the only feelings that remained were of immense pride and love. He was so proud of his children, even if this was only a fictional film. From what he was hearing they were immensely brave and strong and everything that he ever wanted them to be. If only he could meet them in real life… Well, maybe I will he thought, someday in the future. Only it would be even better than this because he and Padme would be there. Suddenly his heart leapt at the thought of such a beautiful and perfect time in his life.

He looked over at Obi-Wan who smiled, "You know I never thought I would say this but your children seem pretty great, maybe the world needs more Skywalkers…."

"Can I record that…" Anakin replied, tearfully happy once again.

"No" Obi-Wan replied suddenly. As this was happening Megan was skipping scenes until Anakin caught sight of Padme in a golden bikini. The look of absolute horror and confusion on his face was priceless, and Obi-Wan was immediately glad that he had taken his lightsaber.

"What is my wife doing wearing that?!" he exclaimed a little too loudly.

"That's your daughter…" Megan replied. Suddenly Obi-Wan was afraid that Anakin would turn to the Dark Side right then and there.

"Who is responsible for this! Obi-Wan! You were Luke's mentor, are you in charge of Leia too?" Obi-Wan immediately held up his hand in a defensive position.

"No, No, No. Not me!"

Anakin then turned to Megan for an explanation. "Well it was sort of Leia's idea… she wanted to rescue Han Solo, the smuggler, from Jabba the Hutt. But things sort of went badly and she was captured and made his slave for the time being. But don't worry! Luke rescues them and she even kills Jabba."

Anakin was in complete shock and very, very unhappy at all this. "They are both grounded when they get home. And if this Han Solo ever shows his face again, I am getting my lightsaber and chasing him all the back to Tatooine, where he will stay…forever."

Obi-Wan decided that he needed to step-in. "Just a movie, Anakin. So what? They went on a little adventure trying to save their friend and things didn't exactly go according to plan. If I remember correctly things like that tend to happen to Skywalkers."

"Alright, I guess your right. But still, my Leia is never going to wear that ever."

Obi-Wan just smiled, it was as good of a reaction as he was going to get.

Anakin and Obi-Wan watched the final confrontation between Luke and Vader. Anakin saw how brave and handsome his son was, and he really was immensely proud of him. His blood boiled, however, when he saw the Emperor electrocute Luke. He stared at Vader and began cursing at him to do something in Huttese. Vader stood indecisive for a moment, but Anakin could tell that Luke's screams were getting to him, cracking that shell of the dark side that had enslaved him for so long.

It was as if the Sith Lord was remembering something. Perhaps the past adventures with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka or those secret nights spent with Padme. He was remembering what it felt like to love because for the first time in twenty years he was beginning to feel again. It was if he suddenly saw all that he had lost, all that he had destroyed, and realized that he had once been a person.

He had once laughed with his friends, celebrated with his men, dreamed with his wife of a better tomorrow. Anakin thought that Vader was realizing that this past, this part of him, had not been lost, only buried. Perhaps his character was seeing, thanks to his son, that he still had people who needed him. And Vader was at last grasping that he still had a reason to live, a reason to stop locking himself away in a suit, and that reason was his son. So Vader, for the first time in two decades, listened to his heart and he destroyed the Emperor, saving his son but killing himself in the process. But it was a sacrifice that Anakin realized he was most likely destined for, one that he would all too willingly accept. So with his dying breath, Anakin's character asked to see his son with his own eyes and Luke removed his mask.

And it was one of the most beautiful scenes that either Anakin or Obi-Wan ever saw. "You know, Anakin, I am proud of you" Obi-Wan said at last.

Anakin smiled and felt his spirit soar at this small compliment. "Thanks Obi-Wan. You are the greatest friend I could ever wish for and I am sorry for cutting you in half" he added with a laugh.

Anakin watched his funeral on Endor. He saw as people all over the galaxy celebrate the war's end and fireworks explode across countless skies. The music was perfect, beautiful and joyous. Back on Endor he saw his spirit appear next to Obi-Wan's and smile. Anakin realized that he was smiling to. It was all just too perfect. The war, the one that he was fighting even now, was finally over. And the atmosphere of elation and complete happiness was contagious. After everything, it had all come down to this. It was almost too much, and Anakin realized that he was softly crying tears of joy. He looked over at Obi-Wan who was also taken in by the scene and the two gave each other a great big hug. They watched as those on Endor did the same. He saw his son and beautiful daughter embrace, and his smile widened. He saw R2 and C3PO dance, and he laughed at the sight. He even saw "the smuggler" run up and embrace Leia. But at the moment, Anakin thought that they looked perfect together, and he couldn't be happier. When the scene gradually faded out, he was still smiling. "That was the best movie ever" he said to no own in particular. And Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.

**Hope you liked it! I appreciate reviews and constructive ****criticism. May the Force be with you!**


	12. Chapter 12

**So we are moving on to part 2, essentially, of this little story! Thanks to everyone who is still with me, and I hope you enjoy!**

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Anakin Skywalker was late. This was nothing new, but except this time it wasn't a wartime strategy meeting or a council report that he was late to. No, it was hand-to-hand combat class. One that Anakin knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he simply did not need.

"Why do I let myself get talked into such things?" he asked himself under his breath as he approached the classroom door.

_12 Hours Earlier_

"Well, I am glad you guys enjoyed the movie. Do you have a place to stay?" Megan asked the two Jedi.

"Don't worry about us, we can stay on our shuttle," Obi-Wan replied.

"There's no need. We are a military base, after all. You can stay in one of the barracks. It will probably be a lot more comfortable for you. Not to mention we can get you a pass to the mess hall."

Anakin's eyes lit up at the thought of food: "Sounds great!" he replied.

But General Stanley, who had been listening in on the conversation, would have none of it. "Miss Ross! You know full well that the barracks are for official US military personal who have completed a basic training or are in the middle of completing said training! We can't just have anyone roaming around a secure base!"

Megan cringed at the rebuttal. Obi-Wan saw how things were going and ever the negotiator, stepped in to end the conflict: "It's okay. My friend and I are more than willing to enroll in this 'basic training' if it means we can have food and shelter until we can find a way home."

So that is how Anakin found himself wearing a boring khaki uniform and on his way to hand-to-hand combat class the next morning. Obi-Wan was so going to pay for this…

* * *

Anakin walked through the doorway right when the instructor called out his fake name, "Luke Walker!"

"Feeling like a youngling again, Anakin replied: "Here, sir!" Immediately a sea of eyes was upon him. Anakin instantly realized how different he was from most of the group. He was leaner than most of the students, many of whom were gruff, muscular men who looked as if they weighed as much as a tauntaun. Most of them barely fit behind the small desks in the classroom. _I guess they haven't spent much time in the field_, Anakin mused. Ration bars just didn't allow one to maintain that build.

The second thing he noticed was that he was the only one without either a shaved head or a crew cut. Having longer hair was a sign of rank in the Jedi Order since padawans had to keep theirs in that force-awful cut, but Anakin had a feeling that the same couldn't be said in this military.

"Sit down cadet!" The instructor barked. "Since it is your first day I will let this tardiness be excused, but if you are even one second late in the future, I will have you disciplined."

Anakin was about ready to force push the man into the wall, but then realized how Darth Vader like that would be. _Better not start acting like a Sith Lord after last night._ So he began to bow respectfully but then remembered where he was and gave a sharp salute instead. He then made his way to the one open seat in the back, daring the man to call him cadet one more time...

For the next thirty minutes the instructor demonstrated the same basic kick move that Anakin had mastered when he was ten. The young Jedi was bored out of his mind and decided that yes, there was a worse fate than eternal meditation...

_Speaking of meditating, _Anakin thought. _Might as well do some now. If only to make this hour go by faster. Replace one torture with a lesser one so to speak…._ With that thought Anakin Skywalker immersed himself in the Force. He closed his eyes and immediately the classroom was gone, replaced by the currents of the Force and the bright force signatures of every living being. It was a picture that only the chosen one could see so clearly.

"Cadet Walker!" A sharp voice snapped Anakin out of his meditation a few minutes later. "I assume you have already perfected this move if you feel like it is acceptable to sleep in my class!"

Anakin had a number of possible comebacks but decided on the smart-ass approach. "Yes, Sir! I believe I have!" He was attempting to use the proper lingo of the people here. But his words rang with the authority of one used to being in command and held no traces of fear that he sensed even the tough-looking cadets had.

The instructor's eyes went wide at what he regarded as a complete disrespect of authority. "You think you are so strong, cadet! Then prove it! Demonstrate the proper technique to your classmates when a well-trained opponent has engaged you." With that he got into a ready stance.

_Gladly_. Anakin smiled and walked up to the front of the room. "Yeah, you get him girly!" One of the students sneered. Anakin refrained from punching him, _Obi-Wan you would be so proud. _

As soon as Anakin was standing at the front of the room, the instructor, a former martial arts master, launched himself at the Jedi. He was fast, that was for sure. But the war-experienced Jedi was much faster. He dodged a series of punches and jabs before ducking behind the instructor, leaping up, and kicking him solidly in the shoulder blade. It just so happened to be the exact same kick that the poor man had been trying to teach for the last forty minutes. The instructor went sailing into the doorframe. Anakin walked over to where he lay crumpled by the door, and reached out his hand to help him up.

"Where do you come from?" the man growled as he bated the hand out of the way and picked himself up, no doubt for the sake of his dignity. Anakin just tool a step back and crossed his arms. "Tatooine, but I wouldn't recommend it. Too sandy for my tastes."

The man, obviously angry at getting his butt-kicked in his own class, jabbed at Anakin again, who just smiled, no doubt infuriating him even more. He was preparing some sort of kick, but before it found its target, Anakin had performed a neat flip over his head, twisting in the air so that he would land facing him. Then he gently (for Skywalker standards) force pushed him into the wall. Soon it became clear that he was unconscious.

Anakin turned to the class. "Anyone else?" he asked, unable to keep his hopes for a second round out of his voice. But everybody just stared at him in horror and shock.

"In that case, I have things to attend to. Have a good day!" and the young Jedi made a beeline for the mess hall, he hadn't had breakfast yet and was starving.

* * *

Obi-Wan had just walked into his class, and unlike Anakin he was on time. He also realized how different he appeared, especially with the beard, but just shrugged it off. Deciding it best to get to know some people, he asked the kid next to him if he knew what they were going to be doing today.

The young man's eyes lit up in anticipation: "We are going to be learning how to take down a door with a battering ram!"

Obi-Wan rubbed his forehead is dismay, sure strategy or even war history would have been interesting, but instead he would have to go outside and watch a bunch of kids attack doors. Yes that was exactly how the esteemed Jedi Master wanted to spend his day.

Sure enough ten minutes later the class was outside on a sports field of sorts in the middle of which stood three doors all closed within doorframes. The instructor held a metal beam of sorts and demonstrated the proper form for busting through a locked door. Obi-Wan was barely listening as he went to the back of the line in the center. One by one each student got his turn to try knocking the door down and to Obi-Wan's disbelief each and every single one of them failed.

Just as it was nearing his turn, the instructor, seemingly enjoying his class's failure spoke up: "If anyone can break through the door on his first try, he will be free to go." Obi-Wan smiled somewhat evilly.

But then the kid in front of him, obviously sick, hacked all over the battering ram. _No way in the nine Corellian hells am I touching that. If I get sick then Anakin would have to… No, not an option._

When the kid, having failed to so much put a dent in the door offered him the tool, Obi-Wan put his hand up and pointed to the ground. The instructor watched in disbelief as he approached the practice door without the ram. "Cadet! Just what do you think you are doing!" At this point everybody had stopped and was watching the Jedi.

Obi-Wan, calm and collected, amassed the Force and unleashed it in such a show of power that the door was torn from its hinges, down the field, and through some sort of gate-like structure near the end of the grass.

There was a stunned silence until one brave soul raised his hands in the air "Field goal!" The voice said.

* * *

**Disclaimer: If you are in the armed forces and don't agree with this chapter, I mean no disrespect. It is all just for fun. :) And while we are at it I don't own Star Wars. Anyway review! **


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